Request for flexi time from 5 days to 3 days a week has been declined - Help

[mamanate]

Hi My request to part-time 3days a week from 5 days has been declined, stating cost due new recruitment and hand over which would mean an overlap. I want to appeal but I need some pointers. Has anyone been in a similar situation and what did they do?

What is it you do? How much training would a new recruit need?

You will need to prove a benefit to the business to help your flexi hours request.

I am an administrator, they already have someone covering my maternity she has been there a few weeks as the rest kept quiting. Training is not so much as the lady working at the moment did not require much.

How about suggesting a job share with the maternity cover for when you return?

I have suggested job share but they say it will not work as we need an overlap on the Wednesday and Monday for handovers with means extra cost to the company.

How long would a hand over take 10 minutes?

What about having a daily log for tasks completed and waiting to be finished so hand over is easy and then suggesting handover period is in your own time as a gesture of good will?

Sounds like they are not keen in being flexible with you, do you have a HR dept?

Sorry forgot to ask if your company have a family handbook with a flexible working policy?

I think a hand over is not really necessary as we have a system where we logg task that are on going, to be done and a history on everything but if they insist maybe half an hour to run through what needs to be done, I will suggest no pay for the hand over time.
We don't have a HR department as the company comprises of 6 members of staff nor do we have a family hand book I believe I'm the first to go on maternity and want to go back to work the only other lady I know left after having a baby.

I'm not an expert but I'm wondering whether the company would be prepared to accept your offer of not being paid for the weekly handover period. It might set a really diffiicult precedent. I can see that for the sake of getting what you want (3 days working) you're prepared to accept being a little out of pocket, but I expect there would be many wider legal and other implications which the company have to consider.
Hopefully someone will be along soon who can advise on that point

I don't understand why a handovers would cost the company more money. There is no need to have 2 people in the office at once. Handovers can be done by e-mail or over the telephone. I have just had my part time request agreed and HR said that job sharers tend to speak on the phone or e-mail several times a week to do handovers.

Don't think your company sound particularly flexible. If they are refusing on cost you should appeal and argue that there is no extra cost as handovers do not have to be dealt with face to face.

But handover need time which would be an
additional cost to the company, and I'm not sure
Where the company would stand in not paying for that time even if the op
says she would do it unpaid.

Yes our handover can be done by e-mail or telephone and I will try to put that to them when I appeal.