Hybrid Working Policy help needed

[jamcorrosion]

Hi - my job has a policy as above, states to be in the office for 3 days a week, with an option to submit a form for unforeseen circumstances. The policy states that the focus is on days not hours spent in the office per day but the expectation is that majority of the day is spent in office when there. There’s no definition of ‘majority’ so I’ve assumed it means more than 50%. This policy has been in place a year. Recently received an email from a senior member of staff to the whole team stating that when in the office we are expected to be there for a full day.

Since this policy was introduced - I arranged my childcare around it. My son is in nursery 7.30-5.30 daily (I’m a single parent) I chose these hours so I could get to the office early. Usually around 8.15/30, I stay until lunchtime which is four hours and then head home. I do this as I thought it was better to travel home on my unpaid hour than later in the afternoon on works time.

Since receiving the email I have reached out and explained my usual routine and asked for clarification if this is no longer ok. I have been told it is no longer ok and I cannot leave at lunchtime consistently only occasionally for appointments etc. Apparently this was clarified with HR before I was given a response. Where do I stand here as the policy doesn’t state full days? I have offered to stay till later in the afternoon and explained why I chose lunchtime. Also explained that I can’t stay till later than 4pm really due to traffic and nursery pick up.

I’m just not sure where I stand or how to handle? As the policy is not specific at all. Can the goalposts be changed like this?

IABU - Suck it up
IANBU - This isnt ok to just change it

3 days a week means 3 days a week IMO, not “show your face and then F off back home”, if you leave at lunchtime you’re doing 3 half days a week.

Call ACAS. Nothing really stops them from changing the policy retrospectively which is probably something they will eventually do as it is very ambiguous.

Yes but the policy doesn’t state that - it specifically states the focus is on days not hours but expects the majority of the days. If the policy said three full days then fair enough but it doesn’t.

Plus I’ve been doing this for a year with no issues.

Full day is the norm yes. Our policy os more explicit though. How long is your work day and lunch? A reasonable request would be to shorten your lunch to enable earlier finish or do uneven days eg longer WFH days and shorter office days.

I do long office days when DD with her dad, and short days WFH on my days so I maximise DD time (9-4 WFH, 9-5.30 office with 30 min lunches).

Do your 815-4. Theyre not going to quibble about 15m surely

I can’t understand why it’s been left so ambiguous and according to the wording I am adhering to it. My employer is generally a really supportive and flexible one so this has come as a surprise

What does your contract say?

Oh come on, you’re looking for a loop hole, surely you’d expect “days” to mean your working hours day?

Do they think you're picking your child up at lunchtime and having them at home the rest of the day?

Going home at lunchtime on office days at our place means you have to make up the hours on other days, so people do 5 mornings instead of 3 days. Could this be an option?

I know it is generally but the policy specifically states the focus is on days not hours but majority of day expected.

Workday is 7.5 hours working but flexible when. My DS is with me full time. I’ve offered to stay till 3 which I’m hoping will be ok

If you are leaving at lunchtime you are only there for half a day. That’s not the majority of the day by anyone’s definition or interpretation.

This policy was introduced well after start date and contract hasn’t been amended. This is a policy so not sure how it works

I’m not looking for a loophole - I arranged my days like this around the policy when it was introduced. As I said it specifically states the focus is on days not hours spent. And I’ve been doing this for a year with no issues

The point of being in the office is to be there when other people are. So disappearing at lunchtime isn't really in the spirit of it. Leaving earlier for nursery pickup is a reasonable flexible working adjustment.

I’d just do 8:15-4 and take a shorter lunch if that 15 mins is really a big deal. Majority of the day I would take as being pretty much the entire day with some leeway for travel or something, so I think doing half days is probably pushing the spirit of it a bit too much.

No they don’t. I explained I only go at lunch as it’s my time not working time but that I can stay till around 3pm if this would work.

Potentially it could be yes

What are your contracted hours of work?
Are you continuing to work when you go home?

It is the majority - majority is over 50%. My working day is 7.5 hours, I’m in the office for 4 hours, over 50%

And the more people play games like this the more likely the employer is to crack down. A bit of flexibility is always better than strict policies, but that's what you end up with if too many push it.

It’s not that simple in my role - our office team works on different clients so we don’t work together anyway.

Oh come on! It rounds to half

Why until 3 though if it takes you 45mins - an hour to get to nursery? Your nursery pick up is 5.30 so surely you can stay until 4.30pm?

I think you’re interpreting majority too literally. In that context, it reads as “most of”.

YANBU. It's about time companies did away with this silly box ticking bollocks.

I took it as over 50%, and it’s just odd that I’ve been doing it for so long with no issues, and even now the only reason it’s been stopped it cause I reached out for clarification