Asking for family friendly working hours, just because I need more time with ds?

[Monkeybar]

I'm about to approach my employers to ask for reduced working hours. I'm a sales rep and am working part time at the mo phasing back up to 5 dyas a week full time. I don;t want ds to be in nursery full time. I like my job, but am finding it hard getting everything done for a 3 day week at the mo. Can I just ask for less hours at work because I don't want him to be in nursery full time? Is wanting to spend more time with my son a valid reason for asking for reduced hours, or are they likely to say that the job has to be full time or no job?

I mentioned to my manager that I may want to ask for different hours and her reply was 'It's not a given, you know!' so I'm not right hopeful of getting what I want.

Does anyone have experience of this and what is the best approach?

I applied and was turned down, so I have to work full time :(

Try to put it in writing, and list how it would benefit the company rather than you wanting to spend time with your ds.

That's my worry. Apart from the fact that I'd be happier and they'd be paying me less, there isn't really any benefit to them. I do believe that I could still be 'visible' working fewer days per week, but the danger is that I'll end up doing things on my non work days (I'm already doing that, taking and making phonecalls, doing admin etc). Because I'm not FT at the mo, admin time out of the field is frowned upon, but I don't get the chance out and about to do the admin, so do it in my own time, which I'm not getting paid for!

Bump.

My asking time is getting too close for comfort!

Hi Monkeybar,
If you ask to reduce your hours maybe word it-in order for me to emply a better work life balance -.Companies now have a duty to do this for you. rather than you explain why you need to reduce your hours, by law it is them who have to give a valid reason why the cant.Also ypu are entiled to 13 weeks parental leave uintil your child is five-thats each parent.It is unpaid leave which can be taken in blocks of no less than a week and is for families to spend more time together, so you shouldn`t have to give a reason.They cannot deny you this-only defer for 6 months-so you could prebook well in advance.Good luck.

Check out the DTI (Dept trade and industry) website for information on flexible working applications. If you do as Panic Pants says and word it geared towards how it will benefit the company, how it will work and cover all aspects/possible negatives you will be more likely to succeed.

I had my flexible working application accepted a few years back with the company i used to work for. However, i am currently in the process of taking them to tribunal largely becuase of the grief i endured afterwards (dont think my line manager liked being pressured to make changes but didnt have a valid business reason for refusing me).

I think as the law stands they have to consider a request for part time working but of course they don't have to grant it. (But they'll have to say why not).

Any chance you could engineer a jobshare with someone? They may go for it if they see you have thought of a way that means they won't suffer.

IME most employers (non-public sector ones anyway) just don't want to have to think about it so if you can do most of the work for them, it may make it easier. Sales is a notoriously macho area though so good luck.