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Original poster

Nhs changing hours when returning back to work post maternity

35 replies

rubayr · 07/11/2022 14:44

Hi I work for the nhs and they are suppose to be 'family friendly' on returning back to work after maternity leave and with childcare etc

Wondering if anyone works for nhs and had problems with the hours they want to return being rejected.?

OP posts:
purpledagger · 07/11/2022 17:48

Being a family friendly employer doesn't mean they have to accept a flexible working request that is detrimental to their service.

if you believe they haven't properly considered your flexible working request, then you can appeal, or speak with your manager about what may be acceptable to them and see if you can come up with an arrangement that works for you both.

wibblewobbleball · 07/11/2022 17:51

A really helpful source on flexible working is the Flex Appeal who you can find on social media. The NHS tends to be quite flexible, but your hours still do need to fit with service / business needs.

itsjustnotok · 07/11/2022 17:52

Flexible working doesn’t mean you get what you want though. It depends on the needs of the service for starters. It depends on your job and who else is there and what there needs might be.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 07/11/2022 17:55

A colleague in my department has just tried to change her working pattern to more or the same hours but term time only and has been soundly rejected.

I don’t think you are able to choose the hours that just suit you, it has to also suit your department.

thinkfast · 07/11/2022 18:04

I can't understand from your OP whether you are trying to change your hours, or whether your employer is?

Original poster
rubayr · 07/11/2022 18:06

thinkfast · 07/11/2022 18:04

I can't understand from your OP whether you are trying to change your hours, or whether your employer is?

So basically I worked full time 4 long days but I'd like to go back 2 long days after having my baby

OP posts:
Original poster
rubayr · 07/11/2022 18:06

wibblewobbleball · 07/11/2022 17:51

A really helpful source on flexible working is the Flex Appeal who you can find on social media. The NHS tends to be quite flexible, but your hours still do need to fit with service / business needs.

They do I worked 4 long days and I wanted to return 2 long days but they are saying they can't do that

OP posts:
purpledagger · 07/11/2022 18:31

what reason did they give for rejecting your request?

PinkFrogss · 07/11/2022 18:38

Did you submit a formal flexible working request and what was their reason for denying it?

Theres a list of reasons they can use, so check if it is one of them. You should also be able to appeal the decision if you wish.

Im not surprised 2 days a week has been turned down though, have you suggested a job share?

borderterrierr · 07/11/2022 18:51

4 long days to 2 long days is essentially part time and they might not be able to accommodate your request because of service needs. They've nee to find someone who could do your job the other 2 days

Original poster
rubayr · 07/11/2022 18:55

borderterrierr · 07/11/2022 18:51

4 long days to 2 long days is essentially part time and they might not be able to accommodate your request because of service needs. They've nee to find someone who could do your job the other 2 days

They are currently over staffed so I think they are trying to push me out

OP posts:
StrataZon · 08/11/2022 10:54

So you are asking to go part-time?
Is it the part-time hours or the 2 long days they are refusing?

It would be unusual for nhs to refuse someone coming back on part time hours. Literally thousands of staff do this every year! The norm would be to fill the other part of the post with another part-timer or existing staff to increase their hours.
They would need to demonstrate a good business reason why this isn't possible. If they're over staffed I would have thought they would welcome you wanting to reduce your hours!

But they do not have to accommodate the actual hours/days you want if it doesn't work for them. So if your 2 long days equals half time hours they may state they need you there over 3 days. This happened to one of my colleagues as she was told she was needed for cover 3 days of the week.

Yesthatismychildsigh · 08/11/2022 11:08

rubayr · 07/11/2022 18:06

They do I worked 4 long days and I wanted to return 2 long days but they are saying they can't do that

Show quote history

So they’re not ‘changing your hours’. Why lie in the thread title?

Original poster
rubayr · 08/11/2022 11:13

I'm not lying hahah if I'm unclear, I'm wanting to change my hours when I go back to work!
I thought majority of people go part time from full time after having a baby!

OP posts:
Yesthatismychildsigh · 08/11/2022 11:16

rubayr · 08/11/2022 11:13

I'm not lying hahah if I'm unclear, I'm wanting to change my hours when I go back to work!
I thought majority of people go part time from full time after having a baby!

Yah sorry, I misread.

purpledagger · 08/11/2022 14:17

what were their grounds for refusing you?

StrataZon · 08/11/2022 14:23

Are you in a union @rubayr ?
If you are then get them to take it up with HR on your behalf. It's unusual for nhs to refuse part-time. Your manager needs to demonstrate why it's not possible

HesDeadBenYouCanStopNow · 08/11/2022 21:14

The rejection reason has to be one of the following

•	extra costs that will damage the business
•	the work cannot be reorganised among other staff
•	people cannot be recruited to do the work
•	flexible working will affect quality and performance
•	the business will not be able to meet customer demand
•	there’s a lack of work to do during the proposed working times
•	the business is planning changes to the workforce

Most likely one for part time requests are that they can't reorganised amongst other staff and with current state of nursing recruitment that they also can't recruit.

Easiest way to refute is asking for a trial. Hard to confirm you can't recruit a part time role if you haven't advertised one and tested the market.

Landlubber2019 · 08/11/2022 21:25

Are their others employed 2 days per week?! my team don't have a workforce employed on less than 3 days . Just 1/2 day training can reduce your working week by 25% and a full day 50%. The amount of training necessary makes it impractical to employ someone 2 days pw

Original poster
rubayr · 08/11/2022 21:26

Landlubber2019 · 08/11/2022 21:25

Are their others employed 2 days per week?! my team don't have a workforce employed on less than 3 days . Just 1/2 day training can reduce your working week by 25% and a full day 50%. The amount of training necessary makes it impractical to employ someone 2 days pw

We have about 50% staff on full time and the rest are all 3 days or 2 and 1/2 days or 2 days or 1 and 1/2 days

OP posts:
PinkFrogss · 08/11/2022 21:28

Why are you ignoring all the posts asking the reason they gave for rejecting your request OP?

jolies · 08/11/2022 21:35

purpledagger · 07/11/2022 17:48

Being a family friendly employer doesn't mean they have to accept a flexible working request that is detrimental to their service.

if you believe they haven't properly considered your flexible working request, then you can appeal, or speak with your manager about what may be acceptable to them and see if you can come up with an arrangement that works for you both.

This. You can't just assume you will be able to get the exact days/hours you want just because they class as family friendly. I work for the NHS and was full time before mat leave. I was incredibly lucky to be able to go back 3 days on the days I wanted but this was purely because I was able to job share with someone who wanted to work the days that I didn't. If that wasn't the case I wouldn't of been able to. It's probably because it won't work for the service which is quite understandable although I get this must be very frustrating. I would gain further advice within your trust around this for clarification.

Original poster
rubayr · 09/11/2022 07:50

PinkFrogss · 08/11/2022 21:28

Why are you ignoring all the posts asking the reason they gave for rejecting your request OP?

I don't have an answer yet
All iv been told is 'doesn't meet the service needs' and I have been called in for a meeting to discuss this further in a few weeks time

OP posts:
HesDeadBenYouCanStopNow · 09/11/2022 15:57

That's not a valid response, hopefully by the meeting they will have their ducks in a row and have either identified one of the 7 accepted responses or will accept your request.

It is a national policy so they do need to abide by the accepted reasons for rejection

Original poster
rubayr · 02/12/2022 13:20

HesDeadBenYouCanStopNow · 09/11/2022 15:57

That's not a valid response, hopefully by the meeting they will have their ducks in a row and have either identified one of the 7 accepted responses or will accept your request.

It is a national policy so they do need to abide by the accepted reasons for rejection

I have an update
They have agreed to my hours being reduced to 2 days but they can't give me set days !
No matter what my childcare is I need to plan ahead with booking days in and they just said they will give me a rota every 4 weeks so I can sort childcare out
My childcare is my mum is looking after my son and she works part time herself so my days I have said I'd like to work are the days she's off work
I have also enquired at the local nursery but to book days in there's 12 month waiting list !
I don't get what is expected for me to do !!

OP posts:
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