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Work

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Original poster

Flexible hours - my ar*e!!!

47 replies

Nikki76 · 20/03/2007 20:40

Have just asked if I can go back to work on a 9-4pm basis with 30 mins for lunch, so basically only a 30 min shorter day than I used to work.....got a flat outright no...they want people to work 9-5....how can mums be reasonably expected to work these hours and still make it to nursery before 6pm (traffic allowing!!!!)....I can feel my blood pressure going up and up!!!

Equal rights and flexiable hours - my ar*e! Women are treated crap from minute they announce they are pregs!!!

OP posts:

VeniVidiVickiQV · 20/03/2007 20:41

Why do they insist on these hours. I think you may well have solid grounds to appeal.

edam · 20/03/2007 20:49

Check out the Department of Trade and Industry website - has a guide to employment law. If your employer hasn't dealt with your request in line with DTI guidance, you've got them by the short and curlies. It also tells you how to take it further.

At face value, looks as if they didn't make much of an attempt to consider your application fairly - they have to give a proper business case for refusal. Can't imagine what legitimate reasons they could give for insisting you stay till five tbh. Don't assume this is the end of it, keep pressing them.

ucm · 20/03/2007 20:54

Agree with Edam, unless that have given you a perfectly reasonable reason for their 'business' decision, then they are breaking the rules somewhat.

Yet again, this ridiculous employment law stating that 'you can ask for flexible working, but your employer is not obliged to allow it', is put to use.

Why oh why did they ever bring this out. I am sure people used to ask for flexible working anyway. It just raises peoples hopes.

nightowl · 20/03/2007 20:56

if i was you i would put the request in writing. i think, although i could be wrong, that they have to give you a reasonable explanation why this isnt possible. get everything in writing if you can.

NormaStanleyFletcher · 20/03/2007 20:57

Did they give you reasons? If not the acas site is another good one for your rights

moondog · 20/03/2007 21:01

God,that is so unfair.
I work as a salt.
Noone has ever checked up on me or stipulated where I should be and when.As long as i get through my workload I am basically a free woman.

Original poster

Nikki76 · 20/03/2007 21:07

They just said it wasn't in line with business requirements....which IMO is not valid as I'm only asking to work 2 days a week, so they will have to cover the business requirements the other three days I'm not working!!

They haven't followed the correct procedure -they basically asked me if I had any thoughts about going back to work, I said not just yet, can I expect to go back to my old role, they said we can't tell you anything unless you give us the hours/days you want. I arrange a nursery, give them the hours/days I want and guess the answer??!!

Today I requested that they tell me which role I can expect to go back to as I need to know so I can formally fill in the back to work option form (its all been informal so far) and put forward a business case for the hours/role I want to work - I can't do it without that information!

It makes me so cross though because realistically, you can't do a full day at work and drop/pick up a child from nursery - there is just no work/life balance in that at all! I'm prepared to shorten my lunch hour so that my hours are nearly what they were before but that's not good enough. Apparently, another new mum has been made to go back 9-5 too and not allowed a shorter lunch break.....

OP posts:

NormaStanleyFletcher · 20/03/2007 21:10

What kind of size company is it. I am really lucky with mine as it is mahoooosive, so they have to fit me in somewhere (have had reply from my manager today saying 'yeah, whatever', so I feel really lucky after reading your post)

NormaStanleyFletcher · 20/03/2007 21:12

Also you can ring and speak to someone from the equal ops commission I think - they were really really helpful to me when I got made redundant at the end of mat leave 7 years ago.

Original poster

Nikki76 · 20/03/2007 21:16

Its one of the big banks...obv not saying which one as will prob get sued and hauled in for giving company a bad name etc etc......not that I would care at this moment in time as am too mad...tempted to look for another job and tell current boss to stick her work hours up her fat fanjo!

OP posts:

VeniVidiVickiQV · 20/03/2007 21:25

you need to put in a formal request for flexible working.

Im surprised that a big bank would not know the formalities adn request you adhere to them tbh.

Check out the DTI website and put in your request again, formally.

Original poster

Nikki76 · 20/03/2007 21:33

The prob is, the formal request for flexible working, requires a business case for cover of hours I don't work and cos I don't know anything about what I'll be doing, I can't do it IYSWIM.

Have rang union and their advice was to pin them down for what role I can expect to go back to, and then do the formal stuff....at least then I've tried and have a record that I've tried to do that....

I didn't even expect to be asked what my plans were outside of the required notice I had to give and not even sure they were allowed to ask in the first place but rather than go all formal on them, I did it informally and asked what was the next step I needed to take and bam - got an outright no! So not following procedure and get this -HR didn't seem too fussed about it!!!

Union were though

OP posts:

VeniVidiVickiQV · 20/03/2007 21:39

and they cant be reasonably covered elsewhere? Why do you need to be there for that half an hour?

NormaStanleyFletcher · 20/03/2007 21:39

Sounds like they are trying a real catch 22 situation on you!
Union = good though.
Let us know how it goes.

Original poster

Nikki76 · 20/03/2007 21:41

I will do.....

VV -not sure what they need me for in that last 30mins...granted I am fab company and 30 mins with me is a tonic for any worker...but beyond that I don't know....

OP posts:

VeniVidiVickiQV · 20/03/2007 21:44

Well, they have to prove that they need you to be there for that time, and why they need you there. Check out the dti.

HumphreysCorner · 20/03/2007 21:47

Nikki76-wonder if it is the same Bank I am currently on maternity leave from. Some old Managers were hell bent in making staff work 9-5pm. Have asked to do 10-2.30pm x 2 days a week if I go back.

Keep fighting girl!

Original poster

Nikki76 · 20/03/2007 22:02

Humphrey - be interesting to see if we work for same bank!!

It is v interesting though, that my boss, who has a grown up family, starts early, leaves early and has every second Thurs off.....so....not sure where this needing to be there until 5 comes from...mind you, I'm sure she wants people to cover so she can go and get her claws and hooves.. er I mean nails and toes manicured, pedicured etc!!

OP posts:

HumphreysCorner · 20/03/2007 22:08

Ah, you see my Manager came back to work after 3 months with both of hers so wondered why I wasn't back at work last September. They like us to stay until 5pm so there is always someone to put the cash away and fill the ATM and switch off computers and lock up...........

BizzyDint · 20/03/2007 22:09

are you in a branch? what size is it? i used to be a branch manager for one of the big banks. surely they should be wanting their workers in during the busiest times ie lunch time rush. is the need for 9 til 5 to do with opening up and locking up? are there any other branches you could transfer to? we had lots of mums go to work at the university branches so they could have term time contracts for example.

Original poster

Nikki76 · 20/03/2007 22:11

Nope, am behind the scenes, no public customer facing work at all. Could understand it more if in a branch as that's full on customer facing but my role isn't.....

OP posts:

HumphreysCorner · 20/03/2007 22:13

Only about 8 staff (well, on a good day anyway). TBH I don't really want to go back but am due my 'back to work' chat next month.

HumphreysCorner · 20/03/2007 22:16

Ah, I see Nikki. I was frontline Customer Services. If you are on the telephone side then surely it doesn't matter if you leave early. You are still putting the time in again.

BizzyDint · 20/03/2007 22:17

you don't need 8 staff to lock up though surely. do you balance the tills during the day? and you can balance and fill the ATM during the day too surely?

nikki- then it comes down to looking at your role and arguing for why you don't need to be there the extra hour. only you know what your role involves.

Original poster

Nikki76 · 20/03/2007 22:18

Bizzy - exactly...mind you, there are structure changes ATM and they won't tell me what I'm going back to.......have asked them so am just waiting to see what outcome of that is...

OP posts:

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