To be gutted they're going to reject my flexible working pattern?

[SodTheBloodyLotOfThem]

DH and I are in public sector roles. 2 DC, after DC1 went onto core teams doing opposite shifts. All good. Just before I went back to work after DC2, shifts all agreed, DH was moved roles (and shift patterns) with fairly short notice. Luckily I managed to find a role which I didn't want but was promised was flexible 're hours, and got approved to work around DH.

Now, 9 months later, big restructure, both had our same jobs given to us but I've been told mine now requires standard office hours. I have a 4yo with additional needs well settled into preschool, various activities and therapies booked into the week, and a toddler who has never been in childcare. How the fuck can I sort this? I'm going to have to pull DD out of her preschool, seeing as it closes at 3, I won't be able to get her to speech therapy, and the childcare costs for DS (assuming I can find a place for them both!) Is going to seriously pinch.

I have been really quite unwell these last few weeks and this is not what I need I think pulling DD out of the preschool she has been at for 2 years, who have been so supportive and nurturing, is the biggest kicker :(

If you have children with additional needs it is so difficult to hold down a job! I haven't worked since DS9 was born ???

I can't afford to quit, and I don't see why I should. I have been with my employer for 13 years, and have been performing my role just fine with my current pattern. My line manager is happy with what I work. It's just senior management throwing their weight around as usual.

I'm not entirely sure that this is legal but I am sure that there are some HR mums on here that will be able to give you some proper advice. I seem to remember that they need to consult with you if your hours or job description are changed, provided you have a substantive post and your hours have been agreed formally. I wait to see what those that know have to say.

Speak with your HR department about flexible working. Check out your sector's policy regarding flexible working (if it's like my sector, it will be on the Intranet)

They're supposed to approve it unless there's a 'valid business need' to reject it, they'll claim it needs to be a mon-fri 9-5 job even though they told me it was a flexible post. I would have applied for one of the 7 days a week posts in the restructure if I'd known this was coming.

Presuming you have a flexible working agreement in place, they’re changing your terms and conditions? If so, have they offered you redundancy as an alternative? (Not that you should take it, but they have to, if they’re changing them.)
I have a little boy with SEN and we moved his pre-school for similar reasons in the year before he started school. It was difficult, but we did it. it actually worked better than we thought.

DO you have any written record of them saying it was a flexible post- an email or job posting making the claim?

Oh how I loathe Senior Management. Change for change's sake. Reinventing the wheel etc.

I want to scream at them "IF IT AIN'T BROKEN, DON'T TRY AND FIX IT".

Repeatedly.

Can your DH work around your hours so he can pick up DC, go to appointments etc?

Has your DH tried to get flexible working for his post? I say that as someone who also works for the same public sector organisation as my DH. Funnily enough these headaches always seem to fall to me to resolve.

I would speak to ACAS. I found them very helpful when our school started (very dubious) redundancy procedures.

DH already works compressed hours, but he manages a middle sized team so there is an actual business need for him to follow the team working pattern. I don't manage anyone and have my own caseload, so it matters not one jot what hours I work so long as I knuckle down - and my line manager has no issues with my output.

If you have children with additional needs it is so difficult to hold down a job! I haven't worked since DS9 was born ???

Why should people be forced into not working because companies can't facilitate anyone that is unable to work 9-5?

Are you in a union? Contact your union rep and see if they can help out.

'Why should people be forced into not working because companies can't facilitate anyone that is unable to work 9-5?'

I don't even know where to start with that statement

Comapanies pay people to work for them. If the roles they have don't suit then you have to look elsewhere. That's business.

However changing contract terms is a different issue, and it is probably worth getting proper legal advice.

Why should people be forced into not working because companies can't facilitate anyone that is unable to work 9-5

Quite. Although it's won't in many many cases, not can't.

Sorry you are in this position, I’m in similar, already had WFH withdrawn along with everyone else in my company which meant I had to reduce contract hours as couldn’t be on site for the amount of hours I worked. Now have a few hours flexible but I fear they will try and take this away as they need cover on site replacing someone who has left who won’t be replaced. Watching this thread with interest.

If you apply to take PARENTAL LEAVE one day a week, like every Wednesday (do not pick Mondays), then you can schedule your child's appointments always for a Wednesday.

This was the only way I could work while my son needed occupational therapy etc.

it will be a 20% pay cut but at least you can both keep working?

You will need afterschool care then for the other days. You might find an older lady nearby with older children who would love these hours, from 3pm to 6pm. Quite a lot of my friends have this arrangement and it works really well, the minder picks up from school / preschool, then comes to their home, cooks dinner and does homework. Would this work?

Posting as an "HR mum" - what do you have in writing about your working hours? Even if you don't have much in writing, they are your working hours by custom and practice. And, given that your 4 yo has additional needs, any effort to change them might come under "discrimination by association" - new legislation that came in a couple of years ago where it doesn't have to be you who's disabled, it's the person you are caring for, etc. Agree with Ellie - ACAS are really helpful. Good luck!

i mean i know it sounds harsh but not every job works for everyone and maybe its time to look somewhere else. The business is just doing what they think is best for their business - can you really blame them?

Speak to your manager about getting their approval in writing
Speak to HR asking for rationale in changing hours, and linking to flexible working policy
Join union and talk to union rep.
They can't change your terms without you agreeing it, but they can make you redundant if it doesn't work for you (and they have a business reason to reject it- hence LM approval and HR discussion)
Good luck.

Peas are you in senior management? They are changing the hours I have been working to everyone's satisfaction for many months. I work in a large organisation and there are multiple roles which either require or can facilitate non traditional hours. They come out with all the spiel about being a family friendly employer. I'm not asking for anything that would do any harm to the business in any shape sort or form. And if they had been transparent regarding their intentions before the restructure I would have applied for a different role, but they weren't, and this is a role I was promised was flexible. And up until now it has been.

I don't think there is any law that says your employer has to facilitate the hours you want to work. That said, if you are already working them it seems rather harsh.

Hope it works out for you. Go to Human resources.

*seems rather harsh to change your hours that was meant to say ^

The law says an employer has to deal with flexi working requests in a 'reasonable manner', and to approve it in January then un-approve it with no warning seems quite unreasonable to me www.gov.uk/flexible-working