Negotiating four days per week

[posypoo]

I recently applied for a full-time admin position in the public sector. In my application, I said that I would prefer four days if possible, but would consider five days if not feasible.

I was asked to interview, and at the interview, I was asked to clarify what I meant by this, and I said that I had theoretical childcare in place for five days, to which the interviewer said 'good'.

I was then offered the job, but no mention has yet been made of whether I am to work four days or five. I think it has been assumed that I will do five. I am wondering if I should contact them to ask them if I can do four, as per my application.

Even 4.5 days would be better for me. Do you think it's still OK for me to bring it up, having now accepted the job? If so, do you think I should go straight for the 4 days I want, or ask for 4.5 days, on the basis that that's nearer the five they obviously want, and see if I can reduce it to 4 days later on?

Does your offer letter/ contract not say what your hours (and related uo that, salary and holiday entitlement) will be?

The offer letter is in the post, I will probably get it tonight, I have accepted a conditional offer only verbally so far, and hours weren't mentioned at that stage.

I think it will say 5 days though, as that is what was advertised.

I could theoretically do 5 days, by the way, it was correct that I said that, I have childcare in place for 5 days if I want it (and I would take the job if I could only do 5 days), but I would just prefer 4 or 4.5.

By way of an update, an HR adviser has now advised me that it's fine to submit a request for part-time hours after receiving an offer letter. I made it clear before I applied for the job that this would be my preference if offered the job.

In my request I laid out all the ways I could be flexible, including working compressed hours over 4 days. Hope this helps anyone interested in the future.