Any1 been successful in asking work for reduced working hours? How did u do it ? pls help xx

[louloupoo]

I'm currently on mat leave and due back in March. As much as I do want to go back I'd love to not work full time and I'm planning on asking if I can reduce from a 5 day week to a 4.

I work as a store manager so I know that I will have to work fridays and saturdays as these are our busiest days. Also Mondays are our 'paperwork days' so I'm fine with that too. And as it happens my mum is off work Mon and Tues so she is willing to look after my DS those 2 days. So in effect I'm wanting to work mon, tues, fri and sat.

In the time I've been on leave my boss has not been able to find cover, instead leaving my deputy to run the store with cover 2 days a week from a neighbouring store. Do you think the fact that the store has continued in this way will help my request?

And when should I send the letter in? Any pointers on how to word it too to try and quash any comeback they may have for saying no? I've heard it can be very difficult to get employers to agree to reduced days so I'm hoping to go in one step ahead.

Sorry for rambling on, its a real concern for me.

Thanks in advance xx

Even though your employer has managed, they may not regard it as a long term solution, especially as they have been unable to fill your role.

In terms of your request, you need to show your employer how the business won't suffer. You could say that your Deupty covering is good experience for them. But if the Deputy can't/won't step up, then it could be problematic.

I normally tell people where I work (I'm in HR) to open dialogue regarding flexible working as early as possible so that if the original request can't be accepted, then there is time to consider other options. But you could always follow the statutory procedure, which is quite tight.

Thanks Chanie, I'm just at a bit of a loss on where to start. Surely if they can cope for upp to a year (apparently my area mgr is no longer looking)that cn only benefit my request?

Anyone got any success stories?

I work for the Nhs so it may be different depending on your organisation but for me it depended on how long I had worked for the NHS and that I could demonstate a solution (for example a job share) My advice would be to put it in writting and talk to your employer openly. If your able to be flexible with when you take the day off that might help your case.

Cant be flexible due to childcare options.

Isn't the point of flexible working supposed to be to help working mums?

The rationale behind flexible working is to support working PARENTS not just mums!!

Also, if you aren't being flexible about childcare, then its strange that you expect flexibility from your employer. They may well come to an agreement about you working part time, but they have no obligation to arrange it to fit the days you can get free childcare.

Do you have an HR department? There may be a form available for you to fill in; I'm sure there's something official out there too - try Googling!

You can but ask! But you do have to ask and apply in writing - don't assume that because something's been in place throughout the duration of your maternity leave that it can carry on.

It is hard to be flexible with child care - we have no-one to turn to unless there's an emergency (like when DD got chickenpox, for example) but I do have a teeny amount of flexibility. If there's something I need to do on one of my days off, I can, with adequate notice, swap days at nursery. I'm very careful not to turn my childcare issues into a concern of my employer, but at the same time, they do realise that I have a young DD.

There's all sorts of things you can do to build a case for part-time work. One of the things I do, which I was actually instructed not to include in my application! - is check my work e-mails on my day off. If it's urgent, I forward to a colleague. If it can wait, I respond and say I'll deal with it when next I'm at work. Makes me feel better anyway!

Everyone has a right to request flexible working under the flexible working regs. Have a look on ACAS website under flexible working they have a really good leaflet you can download which will explain how you go about making a request under these regs.

I would start by request what, in an ideal world, you would like your day off to be and why. You will see in the leaflet that you have to set out what you would like and why and explain how you think any difficulties that work might incur as a result of your request can be overcome or resolved. Your employer has a duty to seriously consider you request and has to give a good business reason why they cannot accomodate it.

I have just been though this with my work and they did stick their heels in a bit. As is your situation, my requests were because i had very limted childcare options and so had to make the requests because of this. You need to stick to your guns and try and settle on the best situation for you and your child. However, you do need to try and present as reasonable a case as possible and try and offer some fleibility where you can. For example, i offered to do overtime where i could and it was needed in return for reducing my hours to 4 days a week. Your work will respond much better to your request if you try and present a more reasonable case and have a bit of give and take. Remember though that once you have agreed to this change under the regs this will constitute a permenant change to your contract so you need to make sure you are happy with the reduction in pay and any other consequences that will result.

Good luck!

I CAN'T be flexible about childcare!! If it wasn't an issue I wouldn't be wanting to reduce my hours. Nor am i wanting work to fit around my 'free child-care' as I'm still paying for 2 days a week. But the nursery cannot take him any other days and I have no1 else to turn to.

I will definitely have a look onm ACAS, I'm going to start putting something together over the next week or two, tho I'm not actually due back until March.

Would it benefit my request to offer it as a trial period for say, 3 months? That way if either myself or my emloyer find it not working we can change it...

If it's a 7 day a week business, what do they normally do the two days you didn't work before you went off?

Why not look for a childminder who can do 4 days? Could work out really well. Or a combination - nursery for 2 days, and a cm who could be flexible about the other two?

Its a ladies clothing store so yeah its a 7 day business. I would normally have Sun and Thurs off and the store would be run by my deputy on the thurs and supervisor on the sun. So really I'm just after weds off in addition and the stolre only needs to cope one extra day...

I hadnt really considered child-minders because I thought they would be much more expensive but I've just had a look at some and they're pretty comparable with the nursery.

Its all so difficult! Must be time to start playing the lottery...

I would keep your childcare issues out of it, and approach it from a purely practical, business point of view.

You would like to reduce from 5 days to 4 under a flexible working request.

You have considered the busiest days for your shop, and of course are happy to work Fri/Sat as this makes sense for the business. It also makes sense for the business for you to work Mon as it's paperwork day.

You've always had Thursdays off your Deputy has covered. What you are requesting now is that you additionally have Wednesdays off, with your Deputy covering. This gives her more responsibility, which she has in effect had anyway while you've been off.

Can you make any suggested business reason as to why you want to work Tues & not Wed - is Wed the quietest day of the week for example (would be convenient if it was ).

hubpages.com/hub/Earn-At-Home-Mothers-and-Fathers is an amazing post on the subject of parenthood and work, and the link has no spaces even though the forum tries to force one in.

keep it simple - say you would like to request flexible working - make a big thing of the days you know are important to be there that you can do... 'I want to ensure the business doesn't suffer blah blah, hence I am happy to work x/y as our busiests days and monday to ensure paperwork is maintained. However I would like to reduce my hours by not working x day'

If it helps I changed my hours all over the place! I now work nearly 3 full days in the office, and 4 evenings from home - so not lost any money Its convenient as I often did work out of hours anyway