Requesting no evening shifts?

[Mammymon]

I am returning to work in a few weeks (my little one is 9 months) and when putting in my application for flexible working I have requested to go part time and to only work mornings; the latest finish being 2pm.

The reasons for this are:

1. There is another working mother in the exact same role as myself who was given the exact hours I have requested when she returned to work after maternity

1. My partner does a job where he works away for a week, then is home for a week, in a constant pattern of week on week off so when he is away the only person left to have my little one is my mother who herself works evening shifts beginning at 3pm.

My employer has come back and said they cannot accommodate me. That I must work the later shifts until 8 pm as well as a mix of earlier shifts. They said the woman who has the early hours contract was given it a few years back and they now no longer offer it.

My problem is that even if I put little one in nursery, they close at 6, who would have him until 8? He goes to bed at 7:30 so He needs someone to feed him, change him and put him to bed before I even get home!

Am I being unreasonable expecting the same contract as someone doing the same job as me? I literally have no way of working until 8 with a 9 month old son and a partner who works away!

What business reason did they give for refusing you?

Can you request to do later shifts every other week when your partner is home?

They need to give you a valid reason for saying no, or you can take them to an employment tribunal but a valid reason can be that they do not have the flexibility to offer you morning hours as there's no one else to cover; if they'd need to hire or offer overtime to cover those hours then they can reasonably tell you no. It doesn't really matter what was offer a few years ago to someone else; they obviously had the ability to covert those hours but they can't have everyone doing that. You don't have the right to tell them when you will work unfortunately so discuss it with them, but you may have to find childcare or another job.

Did they need you to do evening shifts because they already have someone (that woman) doing the early shifts?

Are you in a union? If you are talk to them about this, they will be able to advise. If you're not in a union, well, this is exactly the kind of reason why everyone should be!

You have every right to request the times. They have every right to refuse. It's shit. Some nurseries offer till half 6. Can your employers let you work till 6pm? Or do late shifts on the weeks your OH is home?

You can request it they don't haven't give it to you though. This should have been discussed before having a baby.

Yes it's rubbish for you but unfair on everyone else if they have to always work evenings really. Could you compromise on every other week?

Am I being unreasonable expecting the
same contract as someone doing the
same job as me

I understand your frustration, but yes, YABU in this respect, it’s not how it works. If every single person in the company asked for the same arrangement, then they couldn’t approve everyone, could they?
Your employer has explained why they can’t offer you the same shifts.

Again, I understand your predicament but your employer can’t work around your childcare if it doesn’t suit their business model.

If you can’t work out childcare, or find another role that suits your needs, Can your partner not look for another job where he doesn’t work away and can help look after his son?

You can request it they don't haven't give it to you though. This should have been discussed before having a baby.

Are you fucking joking? What sort of lala land do you live in where women can discuss plans for childcare before they’re even pregnant without risking their job for a baby they might never have?

Don’t tell me. Public sector.

You can request whatever you want. They have to consider your request but they can refuse it if there is a valid business reason to do so and it sounds like there is in this case.

Someone else’s contract and hours of work is irrelevant and your partner’s working hours are also not your employer’s problem.

You need to take a different approach. Think about what shift patterns you could do that would work for both of you and consider how the shifts would be covered. Speak to your employer to see how flexible they are? OK you can’t work til 8 but there might be other shifts that you are able to do. Find out what the other working parents in your department do. If you can go into a meeting with them with an open mind and are happy to be flexible they are more likely to accommodate you, rather than just stating “I can only work til 2pm”.

You don't want to be finishing at 2, if your mum starts work at 2... How will you manage handovers?

Does the rota change weekly? Can you request earlies one week, lates the next to fit with your partner's pattern?
Just because something has been done in the past doesn't mean they have to give you the same working pattern.
You may find a child minder who would work til 8 for you, but to find childcare til late to start in a couple of weeks is going to be tough.
I hope you can find a solution - andvthat could be a new job - soon.

Don’t tell me. Public sector. hmm

We would have likely refused this in public sector too. Anyone coming with this as a discussion pre-ttc would get this face You’re a long time out of date.

You could find a babysitter to collect from
Nursery at 6 and take home to your house.
Ultimately though your childcare is your issue not your employer's issue.
Go back to them with a compromise of doing lates on the week your partner is around but possibly you will need to find another job. They only have to keep open for you the job you were doing before having your baby which presumably included a mix of shifts.

You can request it but I don't think you can insist. They are not obliged to give you the same contract as somebody else especially if that contract was agreed a number of years ago. And they don't really have to take into consideration what shifts or hours your partner works. I think it's better that you should look for another job with better hours.

When they said they couldn't let me work just early shifts I asked them was there a way I could do late shifts when partner is home, and earlier shifts when he's away but they said they couldn't do that either.

I know for a fact however that they didn't get anyone in to cover me while on maternity, they didn't hire anyone I mean, they just juggled rotas around to cover, so why can't they carry on doing that while also having me there?

There is no way my partner can leave his job I'm afraid, so it looks like if I can't arrange anything with my employer I'm going to have to look for something new

Eltonjohnssyrup

You can request it they don't haven't give it to you though. This should have been discussed before having a baby.

Should have been discussed with her partner before getting pregnant, as to how they would go about childcare. On discovering pregnancy, discussed it with boss, to test the ground for possible change in working hours needed and then discussed again with partner if work not as flexible as required. Nothing la la land about that. La la land to think everyone around you will suddenly fall into place for you because you now have a child on the way

Rodgerrabbit29

I assume you are joking

Because juggling while you are off for a few months is completely different to carrying on like that permanently.

Great advice @rodgerrabbit29, yes why not defraud the system and cost working people more money so that you can get something for nothing . You’re lucky you didn’t get caught. Hopefully the OP has more integrity than you.

OP, it sucks, but it looks like you’re going to have to find a different job. Are there any related jobs that don’t require shift work?

I was refused flexible working despite other staff in similar roles being part time. It eventually worked out for me but there's not much you can do really. I hope you find a more suitable job.

One of the reasons I was a sahm (24 yrs ago) as I couldn't do late shifts, no family to help, partner worked on call, no childcare after 6
Your can request flexible working but employer doesn't have to grant it ...imagine if everyone wanted to work early shifts?....may need to look for alternatives

How much do you want to keep the job? Would you accept a demotion for your ideal hours? How flexible can you be in other respects?

My employer blew hot and cold with me despite me putting in (from my perspective) a fair workable plan and the company being family friendly - sometimes they cant or wont accomodate.

I have to say they changed their tune when i handed in my notice, but thats a risky move!