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Original poster

Flexible working

21 replies

Slouise87 · 01/08/2021 14:01

Hi everyone, I'm new to this page
Does anyone have any experiences/advice with work rejecting a flexible working request to care for own children? I have just had mine rejected but looking to appeal. Would be interested to hear other experiences if possible. Thank you

OP posts:

flowery · 01/08/2021 14:29

It really depends on the reasons it was rejected in the first place- can you say what those were?

DogsSausages · 01/08/2021 14:32

What sort of job do you do, can flexible hours work, it depends on the job sometimee.

user16395699 · 01/08/2021 14:39

We need more information to help.

JenniferAllisonPhillipaSue · 01/08/2021 14:44

They will have given reasons for rejecting the request, we'll need to know those in order to help with any appeal against the reasons

LIZS · 01/08/2021 14:46

Presumably you have been given a business reason for refusal. Employers have to consider a request, for whatever reason, but may not be able to accommodate it.

Hollyhocksarenotmessy · 01/08/2021 14:53

Hi,

The statutory right to request flexible working only permits refusal on certain grounds - what reason did they give?

However, your reason for requesting it is not relevant.

Original poster

Slouise87 · 01/08/2021 15:02

It's a buying administration role for a retailer.
Hours currently are Mon to Thursday 8-4pm.
Currently due to covid we are 2 days min in office remainder WFH if we choose to.
My verbal response was 'they don't want to open the flood gates to further requests' however I asked for them to respond in writing to my formal request because I'm clear that the reason they have given isn't valid or fair. Im waiting for the response in writing so unsure what the official reason they will state because what's initially been said isn't a good enough or fair reason.
I requested 2 options
Core office hrs Mon to Thursday 8-2.30pm to allow me to collect my daughter from school for 3pm and make up my 1.5hrs at home between 5am - 9pm
Or
Change my hrs and reduce from 32 to 29 and work 7.30-2.30pm
Both were rejected
I was verbally told I had to work my current 32hrs and would have to do 6.30-2 30pm or work a Friday for 3hrs to make up my time. I don't work a Friday because I requested to reduce my days to 4 in 2017 to spend time with my daughter.
I also have a 2 Yr old now so would like my Fridays to spend quality time with him.
Just doesn't seem fair, and I feel my request was a reasonable one?
Also my husband usually spends 40%of his time abroad for work which is why I can't fully rely on him when cvid travel no longer exists.
My work were also informed the request was because my daughter didn't get into the school we wanted where my sister could have supported.
I have no one to collect my daughter from the second school we were allocated and I'm already relying on my mum to take my daughter to allow me to work from 7am onwards.
Lastly verbally my manager questionef why I couldn't start earlier, I replied to state I would physically have to wake my children at 6am latest to enable me to work.... Who would want to do that? They are just 4 and 2 years old

OP posts:

NavigatingAdolescence · 01/08/2021 15:06

All of that is about your lifestyle choices. Did you suggest ways the business would be in a better/not worse position by allowing it?

flowery · 01/08/2021 15:10

Ok well not wanting to open the floodgates is not a valid reason at all. Saying yes to you wouldn’t mean they have to say yes to other people. Each request has to be considered on its own merits.

Your schooling and childcare and family arrangements are completely irrelevant (other than obviously ensuring you have childcare in place to cover your working hours), so don’t focus on those.

Have a look at the Acas guide. This section confirms the list of acceptable reasons for declining. Your employer has to explain which of those reasons applies, and explain how/why it applies.

LIZS · 01/08/2021 15:14

Who looks after your dc2? Can you not use a childminder to collect your dd? Are the office days fixed or variable?

Original poster

Slouise87 · 01/08/2021 15:15

I'll wait to see what they actually state in writing then because the reasons on acas site were not stated verbally which is why I feel so disappointed

OP posts:

twinningatlife · 01/08/2021 15:58

I replied to state I would physically have to wake my children at 6am latest to enable me to work.... Who would want to do that? They are just 4 and 2 years old

Lots of parents do

I do for my 6 month old twins and 5 year old - they have to be up at 6am so we are out of the door for 7am to start doing childcare drop offs

If it's all they've offered you I'd take take that? Since they haven't said a flat out no. They've offered you alternative hours which work for them as a business/employer/colleagues

HadEnoughofOtherThreads · 01/08/2021 16:09

I verbally asked my previous Manager in a different organisation about a flexible working request 3 years after reducing my hours from FT to 3 days upon returning to work after mat leave. I asked to work school hours over 5 days. We had been offered a free nursery place at the school but the After School Club only accept children from Reception Year. We already had a Year 1 child attending the School After School Club. We would have saved thousands in private nursery fees. No family close enough to help with childcare. Pressured public sector role with no one else covering my role on the 2 days I wasn’t working (someone was initially covering those 2 days for the first few months of me going PT). Manager said no. I didn’t see much point going over their head as it would have made things very difficult thereafter. Manager was a micromanager and melodramatic. Two years later, I was constantly being expected to cover for two FT posts (vacant post x1 and 1 person off on long-term sickness) and off course my workload suffered. I gave my notice. Management asked me to reconsider and offered me the flexibility to WFH on set days instead of only when the kids and I had medical or dental appointments that couldn’t be scheduled at the beginning or at the end of the day. It was too little too late and I left without another job to go to.

I found a similar PT role where I now work school hours 5 days pw, so no childcare dilemmas or costs. WFH 2-3 days per was standard for most staff before Covid. Due to Covid, I’m still WFH 5 days pw with no plans to return to the office except for the odd meeting and collaborative working/training as and when needed from Sep at the earliest.

My DP also used to work abroad Mon-Fri on & off over the years, including when our middle DC was in nursery FT, so I know how hard that is.

Moral of the story - sometimes you just need to move on.
A lot of people are taking advantage of the flexibility that businesses have been forced to adopt due to Covid. Good luck 🍀

HadEnoughofOtherThreads · 01/08/2021 16:19

I forgot to add - You are already working unsociable hours in a sector that is known not to be conducive to a good work/life balance for families with young children, so you need to be realistic.

Organisations need to prioritise the business needs in conjunction with flexible working requests. It cannot be a lose lose situation for the business.
But, yes it would be interesting to see if they are prepared to put their verbal reason for refusal in writing.

HadEnoughofOtherThreads · 01/08/2021 16:25

Btw, a female family member was an Assistant Buyer based at Head Office for a large retail company. She left and changed career as she wanted to progress in her role but knew it would not be conducive with starting a family.

Vbree · 01/08/2021 16:29

They only have to consider it, and if it doesn't align with business needs they don't have to agree to your request. I asked for my hours to be reduced from 5 days to 4 days a week at work, but it was refused due to my role. I had to accept it look for another job. Your seem to have given you another option so they seem fairly reasonable. I would wait for the reply in writing but I don't think an appeal would have any legal standing and might just make things more awkward for you.

Figgygal · 01/08/2021 16:34

You need to push them for the formal response - there are only limited reasons they can refuse the request under. Not to say they won’t somehow link it to one of those reasons

Tbh the hours of their business do not sound compatible with your lifestyle particularly with a husband who works away - I’d be looking for another job

flowery · 01/08/2021 16:43

To be fair, the compromises they’ve offered you seem pretty reasonable- they’re preserving the 2.30 finish you want so you can pick up your daughter.

Would working 3 hours on a Friday be so terrible? You’d still have most of the day with your 2yo.

Original poster

Slouise87 · 01/08/2021 17:01

Thank you for your replies

OP posts:

user16395699 · 01/08/2021 17:31

Would the 3 hours on a Friday be from home or in the office?

Most of your reasons are not relevant. You have to make a business case not a personal case, and they don't have to consider your lifestyle goals.

vivainsomnia · 02/08/2021 09:13

I don't think this will go anywhere. They will come back and find an excuse as to why your request doesn't suit the business. It won't be hard if a higher grade manager looks into it. They have offered an alternative that is very reasonable. You have to remember that they don't owe you to only agree to what works perfectly for your lifestyle.

I can't see them being proven to be unreasonable. They already agreed to cut down your days to 4, which show they are a flexible organisation. They are prepared to agree to you finishing at 2:30, again, very flexible. What they don't agree is more hours cut, which is fair enough if the job is indeed ultimately a FT job, and for you to make up the hours whenever you have a few minutes there and then to do so, which is really not appropriate way of working.

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