when should I broach the subject of reducing my hours?

[jbee1979]

I'm currently on maternity leave, DD is 4 months old and I'm due back to work in April. On a good week I did 41.5 hours and on a bad week I did 46.5 hours - plus staying late because customers were late etc. Two late nights until 8 and every other Saturday (car sales).

I can't envisage circumstances where I can't put DD to bed. If I was working late I wouldn't see her from I left for work one morning until I left for work the following morning. I'd also like to see DH sometimes!

In an ideal world I'd be happy with 9-5 4 days a week.

I know they're going to be impossible. They don't appreciate work life balance at all. They frequently spring it on me "you're staying 2 hours longer on Saturday". No extra pay unless you have the opportunity to sell a car.

Should I ask now to let the apply decline appeal process start and look for a new job? I know I'm valuable to them as they were very concerned about me leaving after maternity leave but I know they won't want to negotiate because "it'll lead to other women in the company trying to take the piss".

I love my job and I don't want to leave but I need to see DD too.

Yes you should apply for flexible working but I think you have to be realistic about what you are offering and prepared to do. From my very limited knowledge of car sales, and what you say in your post, it doesn't sound as if four days of 9-5 is going to work and it would be very easy for them to decline that on the grounds of not meeting business needs. Presumably all the later hours still need to be covered as well as Saturdays so could you offer to do three long days instead or every Saturday (which might help with childcare if you have a partner who is home then)? For your own sanity, you also need to have a plan in mind if a customer picking up a car is late and your DD needs collecting from somewhere. Your childcare issues are of no interest to the customer.