work life balance -whose responsibility?

[perplexedcolleague]

is it my responsibility to achieve this, eg by choosing the right job and part-time hours, and only having one job,or is it my employers' responsibility to give me hours that suit, and so I can fit in a second part-time job?

(fwr turned down, am considering appeal)

I'm not sure I understand, you think your employers should give you hours to enable you to do a 2nd job, how is that helping your work-life balance? Are you saying that's your problem not theirs?

My current job requires permission to take a 2nd job even if I could fit it in.

I regard it as my responsibility (for myself, not for you, that's be daft), which is why I am currently in a low paid job which suits my family. If it was an employer's responsibility to fit my job into my life choices then I could earn loads more.

I asked for fwr so I could do some agency work in a job my employers support, they said 'no' because my colleagues would have to cover one or two weekends a month that I would have to work week days instead I'm thinking of appealing, and would go on the rounds of work life balance, because the agency work is very important to me

I think I was turned down because my employer has it in for me, for what its worth

What does that have to do with work/life balance? You want less hours so you can work more

eh, how on earth can you think it is because your employer has it in for you - it is because your request is totally unreasonable - why on earth should you get flexible working, that will impinge on your colleagues, so you can have a second job (world gone mad )

If it's anyone's responsibility, it's yours.

The employer's responsibility is to run a viable organisation, adhering to relevant law. FWR (if you have qualifying dependents) have to be considered, but can be rejected if there are sound business reasons for doing so. As one of the impacts here is the requirement for other staff to cover 2 weekends a month, I think your case is likely to be weak as your employer has to consider the impact on staff affected. And if they are not willing volunteers to give up their weekends, then their work/life balance situation will not be out-weighed by yours.

I haven't asked for less hours - I'll just work more during the week and less on one or two weekends per month, I'm happy to be flexible with my shifts, I know my employers support the work my agency do (its community support for children) they give paid time off for training and unpaid time off for volunteering, I have a chance to be paid for the agency work, and just want some flexibility off them

and the other workers would share out the extra weekends so wouldn't have to work many more, just one or two every month or so

If I was one of your colleagues I wouldn't be happy about doing extra weekends so you can have a second paid job, no matter how worthy the second organisation you would be paid by.

But wouldn't your colleagues want more weekends off too if they could? For family life and their own work/life balance?

I dont think I'm explaining my case very well. I think my colleagues would be ok about it, there are 8 people, so would only be doing one weekend each every 2 months, they know I'm a single parent need the money

Well you asked, they said no, end of story. I always look at it as What if everyone wanted to do this? Does this person have any more needs/rights than anyone else and make a decision from there.

yes, they saod no, but I have right to appeal, I was hoping to get some tips about highlighting there responsibility to support work life balance

if they want to, they can put in their own fwr - I would support them

But not when it so clearly impinges on your colleagues work life balance

its only one weekend every two months, not a big ask

"Under the law your employer must seriously consider an application you make, and only reject it if there are good business reasons for doing so. You have the right to ask for flexible working - not the right to have it. Employers can reasonably decline your application where there is a legitimate business ground."

Link

Other workers having to adjust their hours and work more weekends sounds a legitimate business ground as the workers would be entitled to decline to change their hours.

Unless I am not understanding this correctly, you are asking about a right to work/life balance but your request is so you can have a second job - that is so obviously not about a work/life balance as you wouldn't be at home when you aren't at your second job (the very principle of work/life balance) I am bit that you have come on here to ask about it.

one weekend every 2 months is a huge ask

You are being ridiculous.

do CAB help with things like this? not in union

You can not claim for work life balance to the detriment of your colleagues' work life balance.

You are being ridiculous.

Perplexed, your request isn't consistent. This isn't about flexible working or work/life balance, this is about you not wanting to work your established hours so you can fit in another job. You've asked, they've said no.

So it seems that there maybe a one weekend in eight rota and you not working weekends would mean each of your colleagues does another weekend in eight. This makes it a one in four rota a drastic change to your colleagues terms and conditions leading to probable changes in salary. If you would like to appeal you need to be able to put forward a sound benefit to the business for all of this.