Flexible Working request question

[curlysmum]

My question is this is part of the advice in the TUC guidelines for making a request;

if you are making a request in relation to a child it must be at least 14 days before their 6th birthday? does this mean when they are aged 6 and over you have no rights to flexible working or is it just that the request must be made before they are 6 years old.

Anybody know the answer to this ?

[flowerybeanbag]

You only have flexible working rights over 6yo if the child is disabled.

[clarinsgirl]

You may not have the 'right' after 6, but if your request is reasonable and suits both parties it may be accommodated anyway.

[Squiffy]

Expanding on FBB: I think that assuming you apply before they are 6 and if it is granted, then the right to work flexibly is permanent and you have no automatic right to go back to FT working (although you can request it at any time subject to your company's policies). I'm sure that's the way I was told it a while back... is that what you were asking?

[flowerybeanbag]

yes squiffy is right, any request under flexible working regs that is agreed becomes a permanent change to contract.

[RibenaBerry]

If a flexible working request is accepted it results in a permanent change to your contract. The hours do not revert back when your child turns 6 (this cuts both ways, you do not have an automatic right to go back up to full time hours, which sometimes people forget).

This means that, if you get the request in before your child is 6, you get the new hours forever (or until you independently negotiate another change with your employer). If you don't get the request in before your child is six, you have no right (in law) to request flexible working.

[curlysmum]

yes its very confusing as why would they say you can apply up to 14 days before your child is 6 if you had no rights after they are aged over 6, this is because my dd is 5 but will be 6 in 6 months and I am confused about this ?

[curlysmum]

sorry just to clarify I want to request a slight change to my working hours so I can take my dd to school which will mean I start 1/2 hour later than the rest of the employee's and that I can leave 15 mins earlier to get back to childminder , and that I take a shorter lunch , so its not a huge difference and the HR woman just told my boss that it only applies when you child is under 6 , but she is 5 now and will not be 6 till February so I am assuming I still have the right to apply as it stands.

[flowerybeanbag]

yes you still have the right, absolutely.

[RibenaBerry]

Yes, you still have the right to apply.

If your request is granted, the change will stay in place even after your DD turns 6.