Flexible Working Appeal Meeting

[birdieholly]

Hi All

Just wondering if anyone has any advice/experience of going through an appeal meeting after having a flexible working request declined? I originally asked to go back 3 days a week but was told in the meeting that this would not be possible as my job was business critical. At the meeting our HR Manager asked both myself and my line manager to think of some alternative ideas to try and get a compromise. The next day I emailed a further two suggestions in details, one being a job share and one being that I would do a 34 hour week over 4 days by working extended hours. My line manager never contacted me to discuss my suggestions I just received a letter declining all my suggestions on grounds which were not clearly explained and in my opinion irrelevant to my position. I have documented an appeal letter outlining my concerns and points and I am now waiting for our acting CEO to let me know a date for the appeal meeting. I am now wondering if this is going to be a complete waste of time? So be interested in anyone's feedback if they managed to get the decision overturned? Just to set the scene I work for a medium sized charity, we have many people working part time, including two senior operations manager who both have children and a part time manager within the fundraising team I work in.

Many thanks for any advice/experience you could share.

I can answer as someone who has heard an appeal .

You need to make a business case that will be workable for them. Take with you copies of the emails and explain at the appeal how they are workable for the company.

The fact that others have had fw requests approve is irrelevant - don't mention it, it will sound like a winge. Each case is dealt with on it's own merit.

and to add to Hairytale's experience an advice from a simialr perspective. When they said your role was business critical - do you know what they meant? was it that there was too much work to be done in 3 days, in which case you need to explain how you will get the work done in 4 days - which with the extended hours you suggest shouldn't be too difficult, assuming that your organisation supports compressed hours working - mine wouldn't.

or was it that your presence was needed every day - in which case you need to explain how the day you are absent will be covered. you could also consider whether 5 shorter days works for you in this scenario - although i can understand that childcare costs etc might make this unworkable for you.

and i second Hairytale's advice to focus on how you can make this work and ignore what others do - you won't get want you want "because it's unfair not to" but because it makes sense for both you and your employer.

Good luck