Help with returning to work/flexible working

[Rach222]

Hope someone can advise me.

I am currently on maternity leave, but want to try and get organised for when I returning to work.

I want to understand flexible working and where I stand.

Can I present a number of different options to my employer about different working patterns? Eg going part time, working full time but over 4 days, changing hours of work etc?

Also, my role can sometimes involve overnight stays, working evening and some weekends. Where would I stand if I was to say I am not comfortable to stay away from my children/working evening etc?

Also, my terms and conditions of maternity leave state I have to returning to work for 3 months to keep my maternity enhancement package, but if I was to apply for another job internally, do you think I would have to return to exact role, or could I work in another department?

Thanks for your help

You can present a number of options, but you will need to put a business case together as to how your proposals won't be detrimental to the business. For example:

1. working 10-2 mon- fri means I can cover lunches and it's the busiest time of the day.
2. working tues-fri full days as my customers office is shut on a Monday.

Your employer needs to justify why they can't accommodate the request. There are certain criteria they have to use, so you may want to familiarise yourself with then. Google 'flexible working refusal reasons.

With regards to not working nights/weekends etc you need to give a business reason, not a personal one . Who us going to cover the work if you don't? They are not necessarily obliged to hire somebody else or to make your colleagues cover it, so you need a string argument if you have one.

agree with Chanie44, unfortunately you really need to sell it to the business as to basically how its going to benefit them. Where possible try not to mention....'so that i can collect my son from nursery by 4.30pm' etc even if that is the reason!

Flexibility works both ways and i would where possible try to show you are willing to adapt. I personally wouldnt want to stay away overnight either and would try not to attend, however in my request i stated that where possible and with sufficient notice i would try to attend these away days. This way it shows you are willing to try but if its not possible through childcare then you will not be able to. I dont see this as being misleading. If you are 100% against ever attending weekends/overnight etc then you should as chanie44 stated, tell them this but with a strong argument against this.

In terms of the 3 month enhancement package, i dont see why this should be any different if you return to a different role within the company and if it doesn't specifically state this within the terms and conditions then you'd have an strong case to support this if you do move to another role.