Any job-sharing lawyers out there- couple of questions?

[newmum36]

hi there
Am proposing job-sharing with another colleague. I understand the general stuff about job-sharing but from a profession point of view, have you been asked how it would affect your relationship with clients or profitability. I can't see that the legislation requires these extra answers, but they've been asked of me.
Were you asked this question, are they allowed to ask this question and if they are, what has been the effect in your expericence...
Thank you !! Struggling a bit with this one. (not my area)

It is part of my law firm's standard application for flexible working that the applicant has to describe how the new arrangement would affect her ability to do the job and how any gaps will br covered. I guess it is a valid question (although a pain to answer) because it would go towards "business reasons" under the flexible working regulations, a grounds on which the firm can turn down the request.

My request for reduced hours was turned down. I did not request job-share because there wasn't another person I could share with. Personally, the nature of my work (transactional) makes job share rather difficult. But the firm did hint they were prepared to consider it.

I consulted a employment lawyer who thought I had a good case to go to tribunal for sex discrimination and constructive dismissal (not under the regulations which are largely procedural and have no teeth). but in the end, a support role came up in the same firm which would have suited my hours and I grabbed it.

newmum36, most important is whether any other colleague has been allowed to jobshare in your area of law. If a precedent has been set in your firm, it is difficult for them to refuse your request legally.

Thanks for that
In fact the person I want to jobshare has jobshared before in my department with a colleague who then left and she was left doing a part time job without a job-sharer. The jobshare worked well, the part time didn't as it was badly managed on the days she wasn't in the office.
I'm hoping that they are willing to consider it particularly as they are desperate for people right now. I'm not in the City anymore (used to be) and it is much easier to do regular hours with the transactions which I do and the type of people I deal with are very different from those I dealt with in the City. I have my fingers crossed.

newmum36, from what you describe, I can't see any valid reason for the firm to refuse your jobshare. Good luck!