Potential Flexible Working agreement?

[Nomorechange]

I joined the DWP as a work coach in January 2020 just before lockdown.

When lockdown hit, I continued working from the office until around June when I worked from home.

Returned to the office when the schools went back in September.

Due to no longer having my previously arranged childcare and no availability at after-school club, I've since taken my lunch at half 2 and worked from home from half 3 til 5. This was possible because I'm trained in a different department where appointments have been via phone only. This is due to change.

This has worked very well until now.

I've just been told that I'll need to be in the office full-time. I was expecting this conversation and I now have to think of my options. My employer is extremely reasonable by the way. I just want to know if my plan would be considered.

I have the option to reduce my hours but I don't want to for financial reasons.

I'd like to propose working in the office full-time over 6 days.

Monday 8:45 - 2:45 = 6 hours
Tuesday 8:45 - 5 = 7.15 hours
Wednesday 8:45 - 2:45 = 6 hours
Thursday 8:45 - 5 -7.15 = 7.15 hours
Friday 8:45 -2:45 = 6 hours
Saturday 8:45 - 5 = 7:15 hours

This would mean my children are only in afterschool club or with a trusted friend for 2 days a week. With family on Saturday.

So far I've found it incredibly stressful on my current plan. No real break as I use it to do the school run. Then when I get home I have to log on straight away.

My timings may be slightly off. Im in a butnof a panic as to what to propose. Do do you think this would be a reasonable request? It would definitely meet the business needs as I'm more than happy to work all Saturdays. It may mean some of my colleagues no longer have to work on a Saturday so it's a win-win situation unless I've missed something? I'm also one of the few staff who are trained in an area where Saturday appointments have been needed more than ever.

Again, my managers are absolutely wonderful. I don't want to do annoy them by requesting staggered hours.

Thank you in advance!

@orwellwasright I do see my kids at the weekend. They go out with their dad to his parents on Saturdays and we always spend the other day together either just me and the boys or us and their dad.

We've separated but we're trying to stick to our 'traditions' I suppose.

None of this is easy. It's a recent breakup.

@RaininSummer I actually love my Saturdays at work. Kids are always with their dad and I don't have to worry about the school run. I walk straight to work from home. I get a full hours lunch break (even if I spend most of it working!). I then get to walk straight home from work and have a few hours to myself until my babies come home.

I know this may not work for some but it really would work for me!

There's plenty of other single parents that have no choice in the matter.

At the moment, I potentially have this choice and it would benefit me so much.

My work structure has been chaotic since lockdown. If I could leave work and leave work behind it would hugely benefit me.

I just want my employer to see the same.

@curlydiamond I would consider dropping my hours temporarily and taking the financial loss but it's already confirmed that there's no guarantee that I'd be able to increase my hours again.

Can’t their dad take some of the strain during the week, whether that be looking after them or finding childcare? Why does it all fall on you?

@Cafog That would be perfect for me but I don't have the support network available.

I'm NC with my parents. XDP doesn't live in the area but is happy to help at weekends and pay for childcare.

My only other option is to request a transfer where I would live closer to XDP's parents who would be more than happy to help with childcare. This may take months though.

@Bahhumbugtoyoutoo He pays for all childcare. His suggestion is for me to move closer to his parents who would be able to provide childcare. He's not in a position to do the school run but he's more than happy to finance it.

Could you do a long day on a Saturday and the day you have help with the children then have Sunday Monday for example off and slightly shorter days for the other 3 days?

Plenty if people do work 6 days a week
OP I would just ask then there is no harm in asking

It's not the worst. My dp works 6 days every week. Employers just have to make sure you get 1 day off in the week so that is not an issue. You have time to fit in some fun stuff in the afternoons, and if you get Sunday to yourself, you even get a break.

I know some people don't feel like they get a proper rest if they only get 1 day off work but you could try it on a temporary basis until you get more after school hours.

I think legally you have to have a lunch break after 6 hours. So you'd need to deduct 30 mins from your hours each day.

I'd doubt it would be approved and not sure it's technically a flexible working request as it's full time and 6 days, but I could be wrong there. You'd almost have more luck with a formal flexible working request for home working that they have to consider and give a proper answer to (in theory.) The 6 day arrangement seems unworkable. Are your short days their quiet days? I'd see if you could have an informal conversation before putting in a request, but flexible working requests even the most sensible and reasonable ones are often declined. So good luck

How much extra does the overtime on Saturday pay and how often is it available?

You might be better off dropping your hours and doing your Mon/Fri plan, and then picking up Saturdays as overtime if they're regularly available?

How many hours a week is your contract - that seems to add up to 39.75 hours, which is an odd number.

Technically can you do it? Yes. But I'm not sure it's sustainabke long term. Maybe suggest you trial it for 3 months so you and your employer can see how it goes?

This is far from normal for UK based employees. I have posted already and I would reiterate that I would have to say no, primarily for employee welfare health and safety reasons. I believe any reputable HR department would intervene if I agreed a six day week too. OP might want this right now, but I believe in the medium to long term it would lead to exhaustion.

Consider asking how much you'd pick up if you reduced your hours by a few hours a week - you'd not have to take lunch breaks as a PT worker (or they don't at my service centre) and it might give you flexibility you need. You can always do ot to top up the money lost if you want while not being fixed to having to do Saturdays if you don't want.

For anybody still watching, my staggered hours request was accepted. A couple of my senior managers had to go away and double check that it was legal before confirming. From requesting the new hours to them being accepted took no more than 3 hours. I'm over the moon. I've never been able to take my boys to the park after work! Thank you all for your replies x

That’s fantastic op, I hope you start to reap the benefits of your new arrangement asap.