Back again - work trying to revoke flexible working agreement

[ExpensivePants]

Sorry, me again in disguise

Very briefly for those who missed the last episode... been working 10-6 instead of 9-5 for nearly 3 years for childcare reasons, apparently 'unofficial' arrangement. Applied recently to apply this to Mondays as well. Was told I had to apply officially, not only for the Monday but the Tues/Weds as well and that the requests would probably be turned down, leaving me up shit creek. To complicate matters, official staff meeting will not approve or refuse until middle of October. But I was going on mat leave end of Nov but will now have to be middle of Oct if they turn this down. But I'm 24 weeks and need to tell them dates next week at the latest..

Have requested contract to check wording before I submit formal request for Mondays and challenge issue of Tues/Weds. Personnel have ignored my request for a copy of my contract for 3 days but my former line manager sent me a copy straight away. The wording regarding them being able to change is as follows;

This arrangement is also subject to general review in case of future department needs.

This is the only part of the contract that mentions anything about them changing. It obviously confirms my changes (from 5 days to 3 days) but nothing about the time changes as they were 'unofficial'.

So does this mean that their current flexible working review that they keep banging on about cannot be applied retrospectively? They are quoting this company-wide review as the reason, not departmental needs. To my knowledge, the department doesn't give two tosses either way. If so then I know what my next move is (thanks Flowery!).

Anyone still awake? Or understand a word of what I've written?

I am not totally sure I understand your post, but I do remember your problem from last time.

With regards to the maternity leave, I think your best bet is to put in your date for Nov as you do still have the right to change it.

I think I have to give 28 days notice though, which wouldn't work if I wanted to go sooner. I think I'm going to tell them I want to start at the end of October and then I can change it to the end of Nov if they stop acting like arses.

Have had a good read of my full contract now and there is nothing in it about them being able to change my hours when it suits them other than what I wrote above.

Having a vague clause about being able to review hours isn't the same as being able to force you to ask nicely for the hours you're already doing.

Stick to your guns. Just put in a request for the one change you want to make and leave the rest up to them. If they want to change your hours they need to jump through the relevant hoops to attempt to do so.

Which even they must be able to see they don't have time to do? Hoop jumping is never quick and I could potentially be gone in 6-7 weeks.

Right, Monday request and matb1 etc going in next week. Let's see what they make of that... Thank you.

Flowery, could I please ask one more question (and a small confession) before I go in to work on Tuesday to sort this out.

In order to simplify my OP, I stated that I had been doing adjusted hours on Tues/Weds since Jan 2009. Actually, it is only the Tues that I've been doing for that long. The Weds I changed in Jan this year when my new line manager took over. She approved it 'unofficially' and was happy for me to do that. I wasn't trying to mislead, just that the situation I was trying to describe was complicated enough!

So, when I present my case that my hours are my hours 'unofficial' or not, does this also apply to the Weds or has that not been in operation long enough? The review has taken place since May 2011 according to the staff handbook.

The Weds is more for convenience than need (she goes to my mother's so no time restrictions) and if I haven't got a case for that, it'll be annoying but I can live with it. I just want to make sure that whatever I say is correct.

Thank you and sorry if it seems like I was withholding information.