Flexible working, redundancy, new role - GAH! Help needed please!!

[OohMrDarcy]

I will try to give as much info as possible in order to not confuse...

I have worked in my company for very nearly 9 years. I have had 2 DC whilst working there and since have changed contract to flexible working - three days in the office, the rest of the hours at home of an evening. I work in a role where that is perfectly doable.

We are currently undergoing a restructure and my company likes to move fast on these things... sigh

So I found out last week that I am 'at risk' of redundancy (2 of a team of 8 going) we all share the same job title, which is redundant and they have created a new job title which is basically the same but with less roles. I had my first consultation last week and was fairly blase about it... what will be will be and all that jazz

however todays consultation, I was casually told at the end that if I did get one of the new roles that it would be FULL TIME ON SITE... eg mon - fri 9-5 ... no flexibility... not sure if thats legal to be done? I guess they have gotten around it by the redundancy part
Anyway I now have until tomorrow to decide if I am willing to do that, and if so what financial implications it might have etc (the good side being I think they would be willing to ensure I didn't lose out on childcare costs)

I have gone back with rough costings tonight, but seriously - I have no chance of even confirming if it is going to be possible - I know our area has a bit of a shortage on childcare so what the hell do I do if I get offered a role and can't sort it quickly?!

I have currently suggested a compromise of finishing at 3 which would mean I wouldn't need to worry about afterschool clubs at least, and explained the situation hoping that they understand the need to be flexible back whilst I am sorting it...

any advice GREATLY appreciated right now... oh! DC are 5 (year 1) and 2 (very nearly 3, recently started preschool)

Well that was long - thanks to anyone who manages to read it

Hello

How annoying & stressful for you.

Not sure if I can help with the legalities of this but for what it is worth...I think flexible working is something they have to consider not have to do, so the new inflexible roles sound like something they can do if they can argue the business needs it.

I think the question is, do you want to work there if there is no flex and it is a 9 - 5 in the office job?

Have you any sense of what the rest of the team are thinking? If 4 aren't applying anyway, then you might be in a stronger position etc?

If are prepared to work there in the office, then I would go for it and worry about sorting out childcare if you get it. If you are prepared to chuck money at the problem there is generally a solution, even if you do one thing first (nanny etc) whilst you sort out a perm solution.

Have you been told what the redundancy package is? Would that be of interest at all?

If they choose you over the 2 they let go and they are aware of your situ, then they need to be reasonable about your securing childcare.

Not sure if that helps much. Good luck with the decision.

MML

thanks MML

I do want to work there still, I enjoy the work, its close to home, they are supplying training - they used to rock until this!

The legal side of it I meant around the fact I already have a flexible working contract in place... I suspect they are fine due to the role change, not sure its ethical though as the strong hint was comply or no job

Redundancy package, not bad I suppose - Would mean I could have around 9 months off work no problem or possibly stretch it to 12 (as its tax free) ... I guess that would at least mean DS was at preschool 5 mornings a week

I guess I will see what tomorrows meeting brings!

Are they offering you an enhanced redundancy package? They can change your hours, location etc because you will have a new role. What area do you work in? Could you get a new role and put in a flexible work request after a few weeks?

I think they'd just argue that it is the business need of these news roles. Hopefully somebody who knows more about HR law will be along. Might be worth checking with the ACAS helpline, just to be doubly sure before your meeting? www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2042

Are you the only one who doesn't work in the office all the time? The only other thing is if this is a senario to get rid of you, the working mother/female?

So if you want to work there then fingers crossed your get the role and can sort childcare. And worst case senario you have some money to help you whilst you job hunt, but hopefully it won't come to that.

As an aside we were potentially looking at having to find 3 hours a day childcare for my DS when he started school as he was due to do half-days and I need him collected from school and taken to the After School Club. I posted on MN asking if others had found a solution. And a MNtter contacted me to say that she advertised on gumtree and loads of qualified people came forward looking for quirky hours/short-term contracts. We didn't need it in the end as the school let him go full-time. So once you get over the idea of hiring somebody via the internet (!) there might be more solutions outside the regular childcare etc.

Good luck tomorrow, do post an update.

Hi Bessie

I work in IT .... to be honest it would be unlikely to get flexible working in another role in under 6 months... I would need to 'prove' myself first iyswim

Offering a compromise agreement. 1.5 weeks salary for each years service plus 3 months PILON

I'm not the only one in the situation MML - well kind of... there are two men who are geographically based elsewhere and getting the same about being at this site - they have minimum 3 hrs drive each

On what basis is it a new role? There is a team of 8 of you doing the work currently, all doing the same job? They are reducing headcount by 2, which is fine, and changing the job title which doesn't mean lot.

How are the actual roles different?

Sounds like a simple reduction in headcount to me, and if you are selected for redundancy because of your working hours they may be on dodgy ground.

only differences are the fact they are saying in the job description that it is based at one specific site and office hours (has been pretty flexible in the past)

In good news I have just had a chat again and they seem positive about my suggested compromise so I think they do want to keep me... fingers crossed for end of the week