to expect work to flex a little...

[Kabrown]

Before I went on maternity I worked a 4 day week, with a minimum 1 day from home and maximum 2 days a week from home. This is because work is in London and I am located in the SW. Under that arrangement, I was therefore either in the office or at clients 2-3 days a week. My request for flexible working arrangement of 3 days, with 1 from home, 2 wherever has been refused. But get this, the COMPROMISE they propose is 3 days in the office/London clients and 1 day from home. This is WORSE than my existing contract. Is this legal? am I missing something? am I being unreasonable to expect some flex?

Has "whoever's come up with this compromise" actually looked at your existing contract (or did you include the details in your original request?) Because if they are thinking you are a full time London based employee at the moment that's quite a good compromise. (obviously not on what you actually did)

Yes, the HR director is also the company lawyer, so he wrote the existing contract!

Is your contract for 3 or 4 days of work? Because your new flexi plan only accounts for 3 days. What are you doing on the 4th day? That also goes for the original plan. What was said on the 4th day?

To be honest its a bad contract for the employers and good for you because it doesn't specify what you can do on the 4th day. Minimum 1 day at home, 2 days max at work.

Maybe they weren't happy with your work arrangement for the 4th day and that's why they are firming up the 4th day. You can still meet clients one day and not be in the office, can't you as its not quite home office but not quite going into the office either, unless you are meeting clients in the office.

in current contract basically if not at home I was in London or at a client site. My new flexi plan is asking for a reduction in working hours, because the company now has no clients in my area so I will always need to be in London which is a huge amount of travel, plus I want to be atr home with my son 2 days. However, I think their lack of flex might mean they are trying to get rid of me?

If they no longer have clients in your area, then any role in the SW is redundant at present. They appear to be offering you similar work, but located elsewhere. Apart from the reduction in hours, that would be a fair position for them.

Combined with a reduction in hours, it does look as if there is writing on the wall. Is there a downturn in other areas of their work?