Anyone able to give advice re. flexible working?

[StatelyAsAGalleon]

Hello,

My husband and I have managed our childcare issues between us for approximately eighteen months (DS is 2). My employer offers flexi time and my husbands employer granted his request for flexible working, in the form of allowing him to work from home one day a week.

On Friday last week, it was casually mentioned as the last item at a meeting that the company are withdrawing all working form home. This really only affects him.

What I would like to know is whether they can do this? If something has been agreed and in place, can it be retracted like this? Have they followed the correct procedure? What can we reasonably do about it?

I very strongly suspect that they are trying to push him out of his job, but that is another matter. In the short to medium term, my feeling is that we have to just suck it up and be thankful he has a job at all, but this has left a really sour taste in the mouth.

They can't just withdraw his flexible working as it is a permanent change to his terms when it is agreed. Is your DS in childcare while your DH is working from home? If not and your DH is looking after him while working then they could argue that he's not fully focused on his job.

Thanks Rockchick - he is looking after our son, though he seems to get more done whilst at home than at work. You're right though - I wonder if that is the argument they will make against him continuing with this arrangement.

He is going to query the operational need for reversing this flexible working request today and suggest working compressed hours but I fear we may have to just put up with it, ultimately.

DS already goes to nursery three days a week and that pushes our finances to limits. We simply can't afford to pay for a further day and have no family near by who can help out on a regular basis.

We cannot live on one salary alone, so it is essential for me to work, but the whole business would be so much easier if childcare was more affordable. But I digress...

When your dh's flexible working was agreed, that constitutes a permanent change to his terms and conditions of employment so the company cannot simply withdraw that day of working from home. However, any employer would be very unhappy to hear that an employee "working" from home was also looking after a baby/toddler, regardless of how much work you think your dh is getting done. This is absolutely not the intention of working from home (I'm surprised the employer didn't check at the time this was put in place)and affordable or not, you absolutely must have childcare in place for that day. Presuming that the company does not know about this already, get something sorted quickly before your husband speaks to them about their proposed change.

Is he in the union? If you have any suspicions that they are trying to force him out of his job then contact the union rep. They can be a good source of support and advice.