HELP!! Reason for declining a flex work request - "Your job was full time so it must be a full time role"???

[JimmyChoo17]

The main reason for declining my request to reduce my hours by just 2 days a month was that the job i was doing WAS a full time job which then had full time maternity cover......therefore it must be a full time job now... .now I can see why he feels that he can get away with stating that however there have been changes to my role since starting it 4 years ago so I have plenty of flex in my role to lose the time and my request is more than feasible based on evidence and facts rather than a vague statement like that. He follows up saying the whole dept is busy - but thats not something I can change as we are in roles where that we cant impact eachothers workload. Shouldnt my appeal be looked at my role and my impact not just a general sweeping statement?

Now looking at his reason - its silly as all full time to part time requests are made about FT jobs..?!?! And the cover for my job would obviously be a full time position for that reason. I understand companies can decline these requests but only where they can provide evidence of it not being feasible.

Without having to go into details but all you need to know is that my request is feasible and that they would not need to employ anyone to make up those lost hours......what do you think to that reason, have you been given the same reason and how would you react in an appeal letter?

My legal lines were the effect on customer service, quality and performance and inability to provide cover.

In your opinion it is feasible, however that doesn't mean the employer wouldn't be able to decline it.

Having said that, there is a strict process to follow. It's fine to refuse a request, but if doing so, one or more of eight set business reasons must given, with an explanation how that reason applies.

Your appeal should be on two grounds, firstly listing all the ways they have failed to follow the required procedure here, and secondly explaining why the request is feasible with no negative impact on the business or your colleagues, and explaining advantages for the business where possible.

I think you've got a bit of an abyss at your feet here. If you take a 4 week month, and a 5day week (20 days) you're saying that 10% of your time at work is unproductive.

That is a weak starting point, unless you can demonstrate exactly how the work portfolio has reduced, or your skills have increased so you can indeed do the work in less time. If you can do that (especially if it is the latter, for that makes the - presumably less experienced in your organisation? - maternity cover person a red herring, then I think you ought to be able to make a case that these are responsible measures that will reduce costs for the organisation.