Do I have any chance of going back 4 days a week?

[Alabama100]

I go back to work soon and mil is looking after baby, work know this. Do I have any chance of getting a request for 4 days a week granted or is I only for people who put their children in nursery/childminder etc?

I'll need to put a request in soon and my only reason fr wanting 4 days is o spend more time with baby.

Thank you.

Your choice of childcare surely shouldn't make a difference?
I thought that employers legally had to try to find a position for you returning after maternity leave that suited the number of hours/days you wanted to work?

Really? So it doesn't really matter if I want the extra day to spend with baby as opposed to financial reasons? Do I have to state my case as such during my request? If so would my reason seem superficial? Thanks

No you don't have to state a "reason". Look up flexible working request on the directgov site. You are entitled to make a request if you have a young child, regardless of your childcare arrangements the rest of the time.

Read up on your rights under this legislation - knowledge is power.

Good luck!

"I thought that employers legally had to try to find a position for you returning after maternity leave that suited the number of hours/days you wanted to work?"

Not exactly. They have to consider a request but they can refuse on the grounds of 8 business reasons.

you need to be able to acknowledge the issues this may cause the business and potential solutions, and go in armed with this info

you have the legal right to request because you have a baby, it doesn't matter what your other reasons are
they also have a legal right to say no if they have a business reason to say no

if you request family friendly hours and they say no, it's 12 months before you can request again so the better prepared your argument the more likely you are to be sucessful

It doesn't matter what your reason - provided you have a child under 17, you have the right to request it, and you can only be turned down if there are good business reasons for doing so. You don't legally have to state why you want it (although some employers have forms which ask this, and it may actually help your case as it appeals to your employer's better nature to say "I want to spend more time with my young child").

I have worked three days a week since DD was six months old, and it makes it more difficult for the company as they still have the same overheads (other than my salary etc) for me and I am not available for clients five days a week, but they still said it was OK - so in my experience the business reason has to be a good one to turn you down - most likely in a small company where your absence could have a big effect.

If your employer says no (and if that is the case, they have to explain why they believe it won't work), I suggest you say "well let's try it for six months so I can prove to you that it will work". When I went back to work, I actually technically went back 4 days a week but took a day's holiday each week (saved up from my time on maternity leave) for five months - that way they only committed to a one day reduction and I had the chance to show that three days a week would work. At the end of the five months, I switched to 3dpw no problem.

I suggest you read the direct.gov.uk website and make sure you follow the rules about how to apply. Good luck!

You have just as much right to request flexible working as any other mother. It will help your case, as has already been said, if you can foresee any potential problems and deal with them in your request.

Fantastic thank you all!