To be annoyed that my flexible working request has been turned down

[workisanightmare]

I requested to change my hours from 9-5 to 8:15-4:15. It just suits my day better and would make my evenings more productive.

it has been turned down because I need to cover until 5, because my colleague can’t due to health issues. AIBU to be a bit annoyed about this?

They are legally required to plan and implement a lone working policy if you're in the office on your own. How would they know for example that you hadn't fallen over and hurt yourself and couldn't move?

Aside from that, I initially thought you were unreasonable but from your updates it seems unfair if every single other person is given this privilege apart from you.

Would something like going home at 3 and working 3.30 til 5 from home be workable?

3 months notice for leave?! Fuck that, I'd be looking for something else asap.

But how is it reasonable that the most junior member of staff is left running the place everyday for an hour and a half, can’t take annual leave without a huge amount of notice and can’t take half days etc?

Are you still on probation, @workisanightmare?

Also what would they do if you left? No one new is going to take on a role knowing they're on their own for the last third of the day while everyone else fucks off early

You’re annoyed because you didn’t get your own way?

No, afaik nobody else has this requirement. My colleague was just saying today that she’s booked a last minute holiday for two weeks time and was happy she got the leave approved so fast so she could pay the balance.

Surely most offices have security officers?

I guess it would be I’d be found when someone turns up the next morning, or when I didn’t come home and someone put two and two together.

I don’t think it would, I’m not senior enough to be allowed to WFH.

I did. She hasn’t clarified if that is company policy for everyone though.

Expecting her to work the hours she was employed to work is not “targeting her”.

They sound awful and treating one member of staff differently to all the others, without making clear at interview this was the deal, is awful

Its reasonable if you're doing the hours that they recruited you to cover, and are contracted to do, and if they are following their policy on booking leave.

Your desire to finish work earlier because you'd just like more evening doesn't trump someone else's inability to finish at that time because of their health. It's fine to be annoyed that the request can't be granted, but you must have known it would leave your employer without cover and their hands are tied. They can't grant it, even if they'd really like to. Their decision is entirely reasonable, and a textbook reason for declining a flexible working request.

So, a clear misrepresentation on their part.

If the business demands three months notice for you to request leave, that is not being flexible at all.

I suggest you look for another job and then with great satisfaction, give them one months notice that you are quitting.

I have.

it’s not policy for anyone else afaik. In terms of the hours, of course I’m happy to work my contracted hours. But they knew that the flexibility meant a lot to me and they knew that I’d be making the request, and hired me knowing that. It just feels a little unfair and isolating that everyone else is entitled to take a break together but I can’t because I’ve not worked long enough, they can all take lunch together but I can’t because I’ve not worked long enough, they all leave and im left alone everyday. It means stuff like dinner and drinks after work immediately exclude me because they’re meeting while I’m still working. It just feels very shit.

They sold the job on the basis of flexibility though.

This is what is really shitty of them.

Three months notice for any leave is the exact opposite of flexibility.

I really think you should look for something else. They're not going to budge and the lack of flexibility is actually more than in other jobs - I've never heard of anyone having to give three months notice of leave (obvs you have people like teachers that don't get to pick, but never heard of anyone who can pick their leave having to give that much notice).
They've outright lied to you about the role and the flexibility.

And you missed the posts where she talks about them bigging up their flexibility at interview?

This is just the reality of being the new person OP, everyone else has got their requests in and so yours are judged on the basis of what is left. That doesn’t mean they aren’t flexible at all, it may be that you could ask to work 10-6 and they could accommodate that, they just can’t have you leave earlier because they need cover and that is totally valid- as well as probably being why they hired you 9-5.

Flexible working is great but not everyone can have the flex they want because that’s just not how the world works, otherwise every shop would be closing at 4pm, you’d not be able to eat in a restaurant past 5pm because everyone wants to be home themselves etc.

Sorry to ask again - what does your contract or the company handbook say about notice for holiday requests?

They shouldn't have been talking about flexibility when hiring in that case.

Just because they can’t agree the particular flex that OP is asking for doesn’t mean they are inflexible. Maybe they could accommodate 9:30-5:30, or 10-6, 11-7, maybe they could accommodate dropping a day or condensing/extending hours- having flexibility doesn’t mean being able to agree every single request that every person makes.

what provision is in place for you to be lone working every day for 90 mins? Seems poor H&S

It doesn’t say we have to give notice beyond a day before.

I'd look for another job.

Whether the Flexi thing is fair or not doesn't actually matter when the place is run like a shit show, which this place seems to be. One employee expected to give 3 months notice for AL when no one else is is an absolute joke.

They're taking advantage of the fact you're the newest staff member.

They're not unreasonable to refuse, if you do this they cannot meet the business needs but I do think they're being unfair. However, flexible working is a first come, first served scenario often.

I have staff members who have flexible working arrangements and others who asked but cant have it due to aforementioned arrangements with colleagues. It is what it is..