To put in a flexible working request because I live so far away?

[whatsthatsupposetobeaboutbaby]

Is that a valid reason?

My travel is so expensive and with how much my outgoings have increased by it’s getting to the point where it’s like I go to work and I can’t eat that day.

Sometimes I go into the office and I have zero meetings and zero interactions and no other team members are in (we have no anchor days) and it’s a 2 hour commute and costs me £100 a week.

What’s your AIBU? It’s fairly simple. Anyone can request flexible working for any reason. They have to treat it the same as someone asking because of childcare or elderly parents or anything. Just put the request in. This really isn’t an AIBU.

As far as I know you have the right to request it for any reason or no stated reason but management have the right to decline the request.
You may mark yourself out as lacking commitment by making the request.
Could you try to work nearer to home.
I think you have to carefully consider the effect of making the request.
Each workplace has its own atmosphere and norms.
So you have to weigh up what will be of advantage to you overall.
All the best.

Unless the office has moved I would put in a different reason on the request.

I would also speak to your manager about the cost increases and the fact you actually can’t afford to eat at times. It sounds like you need a pay rise!

Whats the companies official policy? Do they pull others up about not coming in?

It’s also not the employer’s fault if someone has children or elderly parents to care for, or a hobby they want to attend or anything else. That doesn’t matter.
She can put in the request. They have to follow the new legislation around deciding. There really isn’t any need for any snide comments on here.

Why would you put a different reason? The reason has absolutely nothing to do with the decision. There are only a few specific business trains on which they can refuse. Nothing at all to do with the reason for the request.

There is legislation for flexible working requests.
1 - the reason for the request has fuck all to do with the decision. It can be for any reason at all and has no bearing on the decision.
2 - they can only refuse on specific business reason which are listed in the legislation.

If you don’t actually know what you’re talking about then don’t comment.

It isn’t their problem. However when I took the job I thought we’d be in more as a team or I’d have meetings I needed to attend.

I’m extremely bored in this job and my manager has even commented that she’s worried that me and the other team member will get bored.

It’s sometimes soul destroying to get up for 5am and not be home for 7pm when all you’ve done is sit at a desk.

Ignore the people who post and have no clue what they’re talking about.

Every worker in the UK has a legal right to request flexible working, for any reason or no reason at all. The reason doesn’t matter.

The employer has a limited time in which they just respond and they can only object for a handful of legitimate business reasons, which are listed in the legislation. Some of those can be broadly applied unfortunately so they can still turn people down fairly easily but they do have to actually show that they’re not talking bullshit and the reason is real.

You might think it doesn’t (and maybe technically shouldn’t) but of course it will!

If you put down it takes too long to get there they will likely think that’s your own fault for choosing to live so far away and have little empathy. Unless the companies moved why should they allow an exception? Why wouldn’t all the employees move to Cornwall and expect a London salary etc…

I would write down something like that I find it much easier to concentrate and work in a quieter environment. Or that saving on the commuting time allows me to have a much better life balance and has had huge boosts for my wellbeing. Or that wage increases haven’t kept up with the cost of living increases and I’m struggling to be able to afford my mortgage/rent and the train travel. Inflation was X, train tickets went up X, my mortgage/rent went up X but my salary only went up Y (at least you might get a pay rise)

Right. But it doesn’t. They have to follow a very specific set of rules for refusing it.

As the other poster said to you ‘you are full of yeast’ 😂

You must live in a dream world spiders. Employers also must give everyone the exact same pay rises and promotions regardless of gender/race/disability. Oh wait what’s that thing called…. Discrimination! Gender pay gaps!

Do you honestly think employers decide on flexible working requests purely based on an objective set of tick boxes and no human element? Yes in a big company with very tight controls and HR. No in every other company around the country.

I’m not requesting to be a home worker, I’m just asking to reduce my office days from 3 to 2 or even 1. With the exception being when there is a legitimate reason (such as a face to face meeting) that requires me to be in.)

Of course YANBU - there's a col crisis and a housing crisis. For many of us not on 6 figure salaries WFH is the only way we can just about make ends meet.

OP, the new legislation came in fairly recently and a lot of people (as shown on this thread) are unaware of it or how it must be applied. Just put your request in.

You may be entitled to put a request in but be prepared for it to be rejected and a new initiative to drive colleagues to be in at the same time. This may be a good second outcome for you but consider how it will go down with your colleagues. Not saying you'd be wrong to do it but that to me seems the most likely outcome.

Does your employer have a process for requesting flexible working? My employer has a form that we need to complete. It doesn’t ask for the reason as that isn’t relevant in their decision making. It does ask that you show how this will work and to demonstrate that it won’t be detrimental to the company.

Do it. Be honest about cost to sit at a desk

OP does your company have a sustainability policy? We consider working from home to be better for the environment as reduced travel emissions. I would put several reasons on the request to bolster it, so for example - your presence in the office is not needed as others are not there so you can do your work at home, but you’d be happy to come in for team meetings etc; increased cost of travel: better work life balance from duration of travel; improved sustainability for the organisation by reduced travel

I’m nhs….since the new legislation came in, there is new policy for flexi workingrequest….we do not have to give any reason for our request…..there is no where on the paperwork for ‘a reason’ ……therefore no reason is taken into account……we often have no one in the office ….it’s not a problem…..we all have phones and laptops

A lot of offices are extremely flexible with hours and being in the office. I work one day a week in the office and more if there is a meeting I need to be in for. I only live 10 mins away so it’s not a problem either way for me. Our office is we happy for people to work from home as everyone seems happy and there isn’t many issues not only that they were running out of space so it worked out well. You can always put it in and they can say yes or no! That’s it, you might find they are flexible and it’s not a problem et all. Not sure why everyone is being weird about it, since Covid most office roles are hybrid

OP have a look at the info on ACAS on flexible working. As others have already said the law changed earlier this year, and employers have to grant flexible working requests unless there is a business case not to. A colleague recently submitted a request to work entirely from home, only 7 miles from our place of enployment. Request was turned down. He appealed. Decision overturned, and he will now be permanently working from home.

These are the conditions for a request to be turned down: