If you work part time, could you help me please (beachy)

[beachyhead]

I've been asked by my company to put together a paper on flexible working and how to make COY a very attractive place for flexible workers to come to. We've come up with certain things like
being able to work from home
being paid extra for being 'on call' (Thanks Kayleigh for that one)
Working 3 days a week and 26 floating days in the year
Both sexes having two family days a year for sports days etc
Working more in term time than holidays

These are all proposals, but if anyone has their stories, that would be great ie. what works for you, for your company, for your family etc -I won't be on line again till Monday (as I work p/t) but if you could keep them coming, I would REALLY appreciate it.

Beach, presumably you've seen what I put on the City lawyers thread ages ago about my part-year working deal? I know you were on that thread too.

I'll pull it out if I can find it. I need to sit down on Monday and download all the relevant threads to see what works for people.

I hope this is my COY not just PRing me to make me feel I can make a difference by writing this paper!!!

My husband and I employ quite a few mothers and their main requests are to be able to work 5 days 9 to 3.00 and to be able to go home at a moment's notice if child sick/ sports day / painter arriving, whatever. This we can and do do. However I think we would attract more mothers if could definitely offer time off for all school hols and a 9.30 to 10am start. This we're working at. Childcare provided by the company for younger children or for during school hols would obviously be the ideal situation, but one I'm afraid that we can't afford. Tried offering mums of younger kids 4 evenings 6pm to 9pm but found it was still too much for most mums looking after their kids during the day and was tricky training folk up cos of number of absences cos partner had failed to get home in time to look after the kids.
Another thing that has kept folk with us is the ability to allow a 'sabbatical' of a few weeks if teenage kids causing problems.
A decent Christmas bonus also helps along with the odd Friday off for everyone if the weather's good.

Oh and an early finish for everyone on a Friday we've found is a must. That is not paid for - but the staff vote for it every year without fail.

Possibly paying a local childminder to reserve a place for 'emergencies'....

Annualised Hours

Flexible Flexitime can do loads extra when have time so can take off loads of time when child is sick etc..

I have a friend who works part time, term time. it was fairly straightforward to fix, and works well.