to think that if you work from home one day a week, you should be flexible about which day?

[MrsSchadenfreude]

And not insist on doing it the same day every week, when 5 weeks out of 6, there is a meeting that you are supposed to attend and it just gets dumped on one of your colleagues? If it was someone doing a four day week, fair enough. But if you are "working", surely you should be in the office, doing your job not offloading a chunk of it onto someone else because you are "working from home."

MrsS, I can see that if there are 30 meeting participants from different organisations, conferencing in would simply be no point. Your colleague would not even know who is speaking!

Is it a meeting that your colleague is expected to be actively contributing to, rather than just primarily keeping a watching brief?

How has standing in for your colleague in the past worked. Was he unable to champion his viewpoint as he was not there to present it?

Maybe this woman doesn't like this meeting (especially if it is a big one as described) and has arranged her WFH as an avoidance tactic so she can get out of it without having to speak to a manager to try and give up one of her duties...

But if it is causing a regular problem then something needs to be done if the meeting can't be changed - manager needs to be involved and either say that WFH day can't be meeting day, duties changed, call or video conference facilities set up or something else works...

Oops. X posted and didn't spot it was a he.

'Compo, that is an unusual arrangement. A lot of nurseries structure their fees so that it is cheaper to put a child in ft than 4 days a week. Go check their fee schedule. You might save yourself some dosh and get more flexibility.'

eh? I like my mil having my dd thanks.we pay for two full days at nursery, third working day mil looks after dd

'I'm a bit at the people who say they have to work at home on particular days to do a school run or due to their childcare arrangements unless that has been part of an arrangment'

well of course - every Friday work at home is written in a contract
no wonder women have such a hard time returning to work when people can't understand the basics of childcare etc

The OP explained that the employee in this particular case does not have a contract stipulating working from home; it's an informal arrangement. Clearly it isn't viable, if he needs to attend a meeting and is expecting colleagues to cover for him.

If an employee agrees a change to terms and conditions, which means they are working part time, or shorter hours, or not being in the office, that's an entirely different issue. The man in question here, seems to want to enjoy the benefits of a full time contract, but then use an informal 'arrangement' as a way of ducking out of responsibilities - that's taking the piss.

And I don't see the childcare issue as relevant at all, because whatever your contract states, whether working from office or home, you should have proper childcare arrangements in place anyway.

Bonsoir, no not a Wednesday! And yes, active contribution at the meetings. It's an issue I don't follow at all, so requires a lot of "reading in" and some briefing on the interventions to be made.

I occasionally work from home on an ad hoc basis, but only when there is nothing in my calendar. I've no problem with anyone doing it, as long as it doesn't impact on, or cause more work for, someone else if you are not physically at your desk.

compo, you will find that a lot of the women on this thread DO use childcare (many different types at that) and might have also work/have worked pt - myself included.

I can see in your case of a 3 day week why it is difficult to arrange. I was responding to the OP's circumstances where she worked ft but one day from home. It very much depends on the circumstances. But what is key is flexibility on both sides.

The employer has already shown flexibility by agreeing to the arrangement in question. Now it is up to the employee to reciprocate. If it is difficult, and a set in stone off-day is required, it could be that the employee can therefore not do that particular job and so both parties will have to look at alternatives.

I am very much for flexible pt working. But do think the employees should not see it as an absolute entitlement either - unless they negotiated a set-in-stone arrangement, for which they take the risk their flex application will be rejected.

He needs to do his own meeting.

MrsS, if you have to prepare for the meeting, then you should get a cut of your colleague's pay to compensate you .

Honestly, if his active contribution is required, how can he possibly be doing his job to delegate to someone? Not denigrating your noble contribution but it is one thing to put forth a view but another thing to have to defend it against others without all the facts and experience that comes with the role.

And after having been briefed (I hope) for the meeting, you presumably have to update him on the proceedings and action points. Geez. Every week. That is seriously inefficient.

I would count him in the workshy category.

Yes op's instance does seem less of a formal arrangement

It does sound, in the circumstances, as if your colleague is being very unreasonable.

But I don't think there are hard and fast rules about this - negotiations with employers about flexible working can take many and varied forms.

My dh used to work form home a particular day each week because I needed the car on that day. Of course some flexibility would be good but the jury is out until we know why he works from home that day.

It sounds like a complicated meeting to rearrange, but with adequate notice it could be possible for him to do this.

Do you have the same line manager? Could you have the duties between the jobs reassigned? If that's not viable, could you at least point out to your line manager the effect it is having on your own responsibilities, and leave LM to sort out the WFM issues with him?

STop going to his meetings and pass the issue to management.

There must be some reason he's tied to the house that day. Transport? It's not right that he can never attend this meeting.

I agree with meditrina - this is not your problem to have to worry about. I can see how it's come about, because committed colleagues who want the business to run smoothly can easily slip into covering things for others. However, this is not a one-off situation, where he's had some emergency (where it would be understandable for others to step in). It's a regular commitment for him; you have explained clearly why colleagues can't easily cover this aspect of the job for him, and its taking time away from your own duties. Explain this professionally to your line manager, and make it clear that you can't continue to cover for this person any more. It sounds as though everyone has allowed the situation to continue (probably because the OP and her colleagues have done a good job of covering the meetings) but that doesn't make it acceptable or right

The other reason for mentioning it to LM is to make sure they are aware, and even if they do not alter it for some reason, they do at least know you are doing this extra for the good of the business it is properly reflected in your performance reviews (both attitude and extra responsibility).

YANBU You shouldn't have to do part of his job for him.