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Original poster

Full time or reduced hours..

31 replies

lisababyb · 11/02/2011 21:27

I am due to return to work soon and cant afford to work part time :(

My contracted hours are 37 over 5 days m-f. I was thinking of asking for reduced hrs to 4 days.. but working slightly longer hrs over those 4 days..

Does anyone have any advice on whether it makes much of a difference working 4 days to 5 days.. as I will be losing some money off salary too..

Thanks

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Original poster

lisababyb · 11/02/2011 21:43

Sorry, forgot to say that its my first time on here so would really appreciate some advice. I have one child who is 6 months old. x

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RibenaBerry · 11/02/2011 22:10

What do you mean you would be losing salary but won't be part time? If you would still be doing 37 hours, you should be paid the same. If you're not then that is part time (even if finances sadly mean you're working more hours than you would like to).

In terms of work, do you think it would be do-able with your job?

Working four days does make a big difference. Four days away/three days with your baby is very different to five/two. However, you do have to balance that against how long you would have to work on the four. If the days would be so long that you wouldn't see your baby at all those days, is it worth it for trading the day?

The thing I find nice about four days is having a day when I can do baby groups and things. Weekends are rather different.

Original poster

lisababyb · 11/02/2011 22:31

Thanks for your reply.

The maximum hrs i could work per day would be 8 hrs 15 mins, so my hrs would reduce to 33, so would lose 4 hrs per week.

If i go back full time, my hrs would be 8.30-4.30 & 9.15-5.15. If going back 4 days, i would work 8.30-17.15, so leaving home @ 7.45 and getting in at around 5.45..

my husband is concerened that i wont get to see my little one much in these 4 days, i
usually put him to bed @ 7.30-8pm.

If i go full time, i can afford an ironing lady who can do an hrs cleaning pw too. if 4 days, that will be up to me!

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Original poster

lisababyb · 11/02/2011 22:36

I do think my job is do-able in 4 days.. its a busy role in a small team but i definately think it could work.

I work for local authority and dont know if they would agree to this or not..

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Suzihaha · 11/02/2011 22:47

I think 4 days is much much better than 5.

I currently work 5 and in the weeks I have taken 1 day off, everything just feels so much better, I'm less tired, the DC seem to behave better and we enjoy having the time together without DH.

Plus, it's a day you can go to toddler group, run errands, take them for appointments. Otherwise, you'd need to take time off work.

Original poster

lisababyb · 11/02/2011 22:57

I know, i enjoy our days together with just the 2 of us! I agree that it would be handy for docs etc..

if my request is declined, i will be working full time - any tips on how to cope!? DH leaves for work @ 4am so getting him up and to bed is pretty much down to me.

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WidowWadman · 11/02/2011 23:15

I'd check how much or little you'd save in childcare cost, as e.g. my nursery gives a discount if you put in a child full time compared to only 4 days or less.

The discount (or loss of discount) would mean that if my daughter went only 4 full days we'd pay only 4 pound less per week than for a full time, so it's not really worth financially to lose a whole day's salary for it (or in other words, even if I wanted to reduce my hours, I couldn't afford it)

Original poster

lisababyb · 11/02/2011 23:23

Its not an issue of child care costs as he will be looked after by family. :)

Cant afford to go less than 33 hrs as money was pretty tight before we had little one, rubbish mortgage etc etc.. so can accomodate a small drop. So thankfull that we have family to cover childcare,although i would like DS to attend a nursery for a day or 2 when he is older.

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KeepCalmAndCarryOnMNing · 11/02/2011 23:27

By losing 4 hours per week you'd be losing just short of 11% of your gross salary. Taking into account tax and national insurance, compare that against what an extra day's childcare would cost you.

FWIW, I work 4 days a week and really enjoy having that extra day with DS. I would be better off working 5 days a week, but not enough to make me want to give up that day.

If you got the go ahead to do the slightly longer 4 days, you might be home a wee bit later, but would getting home half an hour or so earlier 5 days a week be better than spending a full day with your little one?

Mind you, the realisation that I could work an extra day and then afford to get someone in to do some cleaning and ironing is very tempting...

KeepCalmAndCarryOnMNing · 11/02/2011 23:31

X-posted. Before I had DS, I couldn't imagine being able to afford to lose a day's pay, never mind all the associated costs with having a child. You adapt though. I certainly don't feel any worse off especially as I don't nip out for after work drinks and meals anymore

Original poster

lisababyb · 11/02/2011 23:36

Can I ask what hrs you work for those 4 days? and what your routine is like?? Any advice would be appreciated!!

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Original poster

lisababyb · 11/02/2011 23:38

I think we could adapt to having a bit less money a month, worked out that I would lose about £100 approx pm.. DH can sometimes get an extra saturdays work in a month but dont want to put too much on him!

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KeepCalmAndCarryOnMNing · 12/02/2011 00:06

I do a straight 4 days (i.e. no condensed/longer days). I finish at 5.30 and we get home any time between 6 and 6.30pm. I do 30 hours per week. Usually a mad dash to have tea (we eat together) then get DS to bed. He probably goes up about 7.30pm. Much later than he did when I was on mat leave, but he's fine on it. I really worried about it when I was on mat leave, but babies and toddlers are much more adaptable than we give them credit for.

Bear in mind that although you might lose £100 pcm , you will get around £80 per month in child benefit, so your income wouldn't be much different. Obviously there are a whole load of new costs having a child, but I spend lots less on clothes, magazines, nights out etc so it all balances out. And we have chilcare costs as DS is in nursery 3 days a week. DH and I are both in salary sacrifice schemes so that probably costs us around £300 pcm net.

We try and make an effort to keep on top of housework etc in the evenings during the week so that we're not tied up with chores at the weekend. We'e not always very successful with that, so have just let our standards slip! DH normally puts DS to bed while I put washing on, have a bit of a tidy up etc.

It's hard work, we're knackered during the week, but we muddle through and manage to keep smiling (mostly )

Original poster

lisababyb · 12/02/2011 08:37

Thanks for the advice, think I will put request in and see what happens..

What day do you have off in the week, do you find it more beneficial to attach it to weekend? Do you get to give your lo b.fast before work too?

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Whatevertheweather · 12/02/2011 08:53

Hi Lisa - if you can work it i would definately opt for 4 days. I've done both ways and the 4 in/3 off feels a much better balance towards family.

Wrt which day to have off - if your work closes on bank holidays don't have a Monday off otherwise you will lose out on bank holiday Mondays. I would go for a Wednesday (breaks the week up nicely) or a Friday ( every weekends a 3 day weekend - heaven!)

Good luck whatever you choose - you will get in to a routine that suits you all. My dd is nearly 4 and i'm currently having to work f/t and she does 3 days in pre school and 2 with grandma. She does generally have breakfast with us - sometimes on grandma days we leave her sleep a bit later if she hasn't woken and she has breakfast there (grandma comes to our house to pick her up). I have noticed she goes to bed a bit later than the dc of my sahm friends - around 8pm compared to their 6.30-7pm. This is so we can have dinner play time bath etc in not too much of a rush in the evenings and she copes fine with this.

DC2 due in sept and she starts school then too so will be all change again. as someone else said children are adaptable.

sparkle101 · 12/02/2011 09:04

lisababyb how bizarre I decided yesterday to try for 4 days a week at work for when I go back and I found this thread.

Your employer has to offer flexible working and you should detail in writing what you want to do and why and that you can complete the job in the required hours. Is there any work you can complete at home?

I work in retail so hoping I can squeeze five days hours into four, have applied for flixible working so will see what happens, my boss is a bit of a so not sure if he'll agree we'll see.

Am in no doubt it'll be hard going back to work but you seem to have put a lot of thought into it, so best of luck!

Original poster

lisababyb · 12/02/2011 09:19

Yeah we get bank hols off so would opt for a fri possibly i think.. thanks for that as i didn't think of that before!

I only thought about it yesterday too! Cutting it a bit fine though.. due back in April. I have worked some KIT days and it has made it all seem more real that its all going to change soon!

I work for local authority and we work on flexi contracts, although in my team we all pretty much do 8.30-4.30 or 9.15-17.15 to cover phones etc...

any ideas on what to put in the email.. don't want to be too informal/formal.. i overthink everything!

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KeepCalmAndCarryOnMNing · 12/02/2011 12:23

Before deciding on days, check how your organisation treats bank holidays for part-timers. There's no legal obligation to bank holidays, so unless your contract is worded in a particular way, they might pro-rata bank hols.

Need to dash now but will check back in later and explain further!

KeepCalmAndCarryOnMNing · 12/02/2011 13:18

So, just to explain further... If there are 6 Monday bank holidays that the office is closed and you work 4 days a week (inc a Monday). Say your organisation pro-ratas your entitlement to bank holidays - this would mean that you are only entitled to 4.8 of those monday bank holidays. The office is closed, so you would have to take the other 1.2 days out of the rest of your holiday entitlement. However, if you don't work Mondays, but your organisation gives you an entitlement to pro-rata bank hols, you're in a win situation, because you get to take those 4.8 holidays another time.

I personally don't work Mondays - I have a total pro-rata entitlement that includes an allowance for bank hols. It means I get to take my holidays when I want to, but I'm still off on the bank holidays (which DH gets).

With regard to your actual flexible working request, have a look on the ACAS website. They have some guidance on it and you can also find the reasons employers can refuse a request. It's good to try and think of a way round any reason they can refuse in case you need to try and argue your case.

HTH.

sparkle101 · 12/02/2011 13:20

lisababyb if you think they will cause issue for you then quote a bit of the right to flexible woring in there. You need to be quite formal in case there are any issues in the future. Just put what it is you want to do and how that would impact them (i.e. what hours you would do) and your reasons for doing so. That's what I would do (but apparently I have an application form to fill in!!!) but ask for other people's ideas too as I've never done it before!

WidowWadman · 12/02/2011 17:16

I'm always wondering how "condensed" hours are supposed to work in a fair way, when a lot of full-timers work those extra hours as (unpaid) overtime anyway?

Original poster

lisababyb · 12/02/2011 18:43

Well I suppose its up to the individual if they wish to work extra hours unpaid.. I take your point though as I too have worked many hours overtime unpaid, through lunches etc in previous role.

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Original poster

lisababyb · 12/02/2011 18:49

Just getting my head around this bank holiday thing..! So am I understanding this correctly. If I decided to have the monday as my day off, I may possibly be given extra holiday?? My employer recognises all bank hols.

Sorry if I am being a bit stupid.. can I blame baby brain!? :)

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blueshoes · 12/02/2011 18:51

If in your job it is expected that you and others in your position work unpaid overtime, then it is less likely that your compressed hours flex working request will be granted.

Original poster

lisababyb · 12/02/2011 19:14

In this role, no-one in my team is expected to work unpaid overtime as we can take as flexi leave.

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