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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think I should be allowed to flex my working hours for school hols?

136 replies

Lucy788 · 11/06/2021 21:11

To give context:
Ds started reception in September. There was no wraparound on and as I have been WFH my boss agreed I could start work half an hour later at 9am to drop him off. I do this 4 x days a week and make up the 2hrs 1 evening.
This has worked well throughout - he has said so himself and let me continue to do this 2 days a week when breakfast club opened in Nov.
As of start of August this year our company are due to move back to original working eg. Working from the office and regular working patterns.
This obviously coincides with Summer holidays. Today I discussed with my boss that for the first 3wks in Aug I'd like to continue exactly as I am as the holiday club he will attend opens at 8.30 and he will be going 2 x days a week. So I will need to make up an extra hour a week.
He basically told me that unfortunately flexi time will have ended by then and therefore I can't!
I am kind of in disbelief. I'm more than happy as of Sept when back to school to return to normal working pattern, but I've done this since September and it has caused absolutely no issues whatsoever.
I explained to him that my alternative is to take unpaid leave 2 x days a week for 3 weeks as I will have no childcare and he basically sent me away and said he will think about it and let me know next Thursday if im allowed.
Aibu to be pissed off about this!?

It's a computer based roll and I work alone, eg. Me not being there at 8.30am doesn't impact anybody and I've demonstrated that for months.

OP posts:

Xyzzzzz · 11/06/2021 21:16

Have you spoken to your HR department and looked at completing a formal flexible working request or your company’s flexible working policy?

Brefugee · 11/06/2021 21:18

If they offer this to you they'll have to offer it to everyone. And if your workplace is like several others I've seen mentioned on here recently, that will cause a rift with the non-parents.

What about your child's other parent?

Original poster

Lucy788 · 11/06/2021 21:18

@Xyzzzzz the thing is I don't want this to be a permanent working pattern, only till the 3rd week of August. If I submit it as a formal flexible working request I have to stick with it for a year!

OP posts:

Monkeytapper · 11/06/2021 21:20

Seems unreasonable of him as you have shown you are able to do your work as you have being.
You will just have have pay for wrap-around care with a childminder as I do as I work on reception and have to be at my desk in the office at 8am so no flexibility

InnaBun · 11/06/2021 21:22

You'd only have to take half a day off each day though? But yeah sounds annoying they won't let you do that for 3 more weeks!

Original poster

Lucy788 · 11/06/2021 21:24

@Brefugee my husband starts work at 7.30am in a town thats a little over an hour away from where we live so for him it would mean being extremely late for work.

I understand what you mean about other colleagues, the problem is its a massive company with over 1500 office staff and every line manager seems to have their own way of working. I guarantee there will be hundreds of people asking similar over the coming weeks and not having an issue.

The club I use get booked up so fast I really want to just book it this weekend before I'm left with no childcare

OP posts:

ProbablyProbing · 11/06/2021 21:24

I think YABU. You were offered the flexible working situation for a specific purpose (school) - you now want it for a different purpose (holiday club). I'm sure a great number of colleagues would like flexible working to accommodate childcare in the holidays and they have to be fair to everyone. Every working parent has to sort out childcare in the holidays that work around their employment and, unfortunately, you're no different.

Idontgiveagriffindamn · 11/06/2021 21:27

It sounds like they’ve being really flexible with you up to now, but they don’t have to do this. Maybe their had grumblings from other members of staff or there are some other issues which mean that it’s not possible to do this anymore.
It’s hard but your childcare really isn’t their problem. Do you have a husband / partner that can pick up the slack?

Original poster

Lucy788 · 11/06/2021 21:33

I honestly don't have options. This is my option, or nothing.
There are no childminders with availability for miles I live fairly rural (the closest ones have waiting lists).
I have no family help whatsoever. My family aren't local and dh mum died. His dad is a drunk. I dont know any parents at school well enough to ask them to have my ds as I haven't had time to make friends.
Pre covid and pre flexible working, parents have always been allowed to flex over school hols as an unwritten rule - some even allowed to make up their time on their non working days etc.
It greatly depends on your boss. Mine has been flexible whilst allowed but he is also a massive stickler for the rules.

OP posts:

Dustyhedge · 11/06/2021 21:36

It depends on your actual job though. For lots of office jobs the difference between 8.30 and 9 is negligible. My most miserable manager demanded everyone at their desk at x time. Most places I’ve worked have had flexible start times.

InnaBun · 11/06/2021 21:38

Why would you have to take unpaid leave for the whole day? Do they not allow half days?

L0bstersLass · 11/06/2021 21:40

If you worked for me, and you had a office-based contract, and we were back working in the office - then I'd require you to take holiday for this. You'd be able to take a half-day per day, so one day per week.
You'd have the ability to apply for flexible working, there's no guarantee it would be granted and it would be a permanent change to your contract.

UpSlyDown · 11/06/2021 21:41

YANBU. Flexible working should be just that- flexible both sides. Companies that have rigid rules for people in roles like yours where you can wfh, work independently etc are bullshit. Do you follow Mother Pukka? This is basically what she fights for (she is amazing). Your boss should trust that you’re doing the work, you’ve managed so far and IMO manage your own workload. It’s not like a hospital shift that starts at 7:30am which is non negotiable. My MIL works from home as an accountant and they enforce a 45 minute only lunch break. They have to clock in and out...from home. It baffles me. Have some faith in your employees.

Original poster

Lucy788 · 11/06/2021 21:43

I dont have any holiday left, nor does dh. We have used it all up for the whole year to cover all the other school dates between us.
Does it not seem a little nuts to take half a day unpaid leave for the sake of being in work 30 mins later and making the time up later? Especially when that's what I've been doing already.
Not working that half a day will have a far bigger impact on my work than starting 30 min later will

OP posts:

Original poster

Lucy788 · 11/06/2021 21:46

@L0bstersLass out of interest why would you do that for the sake of 3 weeks?
Genuinely interested, just because I find it hard to understand

OP posts:

Queenoftheashes · 11/06/2021 21:49

Completely ridiculous not to allow this. Flexible working is a reciprocal arrangement and for them not to grant it for no good reason gives you no reason to ever be flexible if they need it. People that refuse to be flexible for the sake of it are dumb cunts.

copperpotsalot · 11/06/2021 21:50

It's unbelievable that anyone wouldn't allow this. It's not impacting anyone. It's not a 1890s workhouse ffs. Who cares when you complete the hours as long as they're completed and the work is done?

YANBU

L0bstersLass · 11/06/2021 21:50

@Lucy788

I dont have any holiday left, nor does dh. We have used it all up for the whole year to cover all the other school dates between us. Does it not seem a little nuts to take half a day unpaid leave for the sake of being in work 30 mins later and making the time up later? Especially when that's what I've been doing already. Not working that half a day will have a far bigger impact on my work than starting 30 min later will

Policies need to be applied consistently across organisations. You've already said the company has over 1500 staff. It would be chaotic if hundreds of individual agreements were being made. Does your contract specify your working location and working hours? If so, and this request is outside them then it doesn't seem a little nuts. You can either take unpaid leave (seeing as you have no annual leave left to take) or apply for a permanent change to your working hours.

sittingonacornflake · 11/06/2021 21:50

This sounds completely ridiculous and I totally sympathise with your situation.

MolotovMocktail · 11/06/2021 21:51

@L0bstersLass

If you worked for me, and you had a office-based contract, and we were back working in the office - then I'd require you to take holiday for this. You'd be able to take a half-day per day, so one day per week. You'd have the ability to apply for flexible working, there's no guarantee it would be granted and it would be a permanent change to your contract.

I bet you’d lose a lot of great employees with such a lack of flexibility. I would never work for somebody with an attitude like this. Employees are not your personal slaves. There’s no reason OP should have to take a whole half day annual leave for a 30 minute change in hours when it is a temporary arrangement.

copperpotsalot · 11/06/2021 21:51

@L0bstersLass

If you worked for me, and you had a office-based contract, and we were back working in the office - then I'd require you to take holiday for this. You'd be able to take a half-day per day, so one day per week. You'd have the ability to apply for flexible working, there's no guarantee it would be granted and it would be a permanent change to your contract.

You'd make someone waste a half day holiday for the sake of half an hour flexibility? I bet you only offer 20 days a year too.

L0bstersLass · 11/06/2021 21:53

[quote Lucy788]@L0bstersLass out of interest why would you do that for the sake of 3 weeks?
Genuinely interested, just because I find it hard to understand[/quote]
Consistency across the rest of the workforce. If everyone's back in the office then we need to be consistent.
Anyone is permitted to apply for flexible working. At our place it can be done once a year and it results in a permanent change to the contract.

Dustyhedge · 11/06/2021 21:53

I think it’s completely ridiculous. I just don’t understand the mentality of being so rigid. It just creates resentment and makes people pissed off when they inevitably do more hours. It is different if you have meetings you’re expected to go to or client calls etc but 30 mins flex is nothing in the scheme of things.

Queenoftheashes · 11/06/2021 21:54

This rigid presenteeism is vv sexist seeing as how it mainly disadvantages women who continue to shoulder most of the caring responsibilities in our society. Have that lower pension, lower pay and what’s more you can use your annual leave on pointless days being slightly late while the men go on holidays to golf resorts

L0bstersLass · 11/06/2021 21:54

@copperpotsalot - 33 days, not including bank holidays. It's usually 30 but all staff got 3 days additional leave free this year as a thank you for their loyalty during the pandemic.

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