Flexible working request from a father...

[AlpacaYourThings]

DH and I are considering TTC within the next few months. As I am the higher earner it is more likely that DH will reduce his hours when I go back to work (which I assume will be after 6 months).

I know he will have the right to shared parental leave as of April 2015 but is he also entitled to a flexible working pattern in the same way that women are? I.e can he request to go back for 3 days per week in the same way that women can request it and a business has to review the request?

I'm not entirely sure I'm phrasing this well...

I just filled out my flexible working form and the only stipulations for changing to part time hours were 'do you have a child' and 'does the child live with you'. So I'm guessing they can't discriminate on gender.

I believe any employee has the right to request flexible working, if they have 26 weeks' service.

useful ACAS page

Yes he can, in fact flexible working is no longer just for parents and careers - even the childless can request.

Flexible working isn't the same as part time hours, i thought.

Ah right, thanks for your responses.

I thought women with children were 'protected' in some way and there had to be a business reason for refusal. Is it that anyone can request flexible hours and there has to be a business reason for refusal?

Under the new laws he has the right to request it - in fact anyone has the right to request it - the employer has an obligation to consider it but not necessarily agree to it if there is a business need for it to be rejected. Actually this is the same for women, but businesses often agreed to it for childcare reasons so as not to appear discriminatory. Offering it to men too takes that discrimination out of the equation. If someone else has already requested it (and has been accepted) their request takes prescedence, whatever the reason is for.

I hope that helps. Good luck with TTC.

Part time hours can be requested as a flexible working request i think but bear in mind that this means holidays and pension are effected as would be any pay out that is made I the event of redundancy.

I am currently working out a way to work through lunch breaks, or have lunch breaks later then stay later n the evening so that I don't have to reduce hours.

DH has it. He has Fridays off so I can work and he does the childcare.
We put this arrangement in place when DD1 was 13 months and now she is 5 and DD2 is 2... it works and his employers were great. He does a bit of a longer day on one of the other days, so that he doesn't lose as much time/money, but that (historically) was my day off.

Thanks all, that's really helpful