Would this be " flexible working " and how to ask for it?

[Busywithsomething]

Children all grown up and fine. Our dog has developed kidney disease - stage 3- which cannot be cured. He's lost a lot of weight. The vet cannot say how much time he has. I have a feeling it's perhaps 4 months, but really no idea.

If I'd like to go into the office in the morning, come back at lunch and work from home in the afternoon, is this what's meant by flexible working?

Can you please give me some tip son how to request it? My boss is quite reasonable and never generally minds us having medical appointments, late starts and other odd small changes. This is 3 day- week job and the change would of course just be for the rest of the time my dog has left with us.

Many thanks

It would potentially be a flexible working request, however FWR’s are a permanent change to your T’s&C’s, so if you wanted to return to full days in the office that would have to be a subsequent FWR and of course there is no guarantee it would be accepted.

also, the maximum amount of time a FWR can take is 2 months (although typically it’s less)

You've said your boss is reasonable, I’d recommend you have an informal chat with them first, explaining the situation and what you’d like to do and get their steer on it. It could be they’re happy to agree this informally for a shorter period of time, rather than as a permanent change.

Im so sorry for you & your lovely dog, and hope you figure out a way to spend time with him.

@BraveFacesEveryone thanks for your answer. I probably come across dim as I have little experience with HR issues. So what you're saying I think is he doesn't have to give an immediate response. Also he only comes into the office on a day of the week when I am not there - plus it's generally in the evenings. So I was imagining I'd email him about it first. Or do you think a phone call is the best way? He's not been very much into procedures. The team is only down to 3 of us since staff were laid off during covid, ( with redundancies, all properly conducted as far as I'm aware).

Is there any need to use the phrase " flexible working" in this small company situation? I don't know if he might think I'm blowing it out of proportion.

Sorry about your dog.

I wouldn’t go down the formal route but just explain the situation and ask if you are able to work flexibly for a couple of months. Depending on how receptive he is, you could also suggest a review after 6 weeks.

Just a chat in this situation would suffice.

If he's reasonable, I'd call him. My manager would have no issue with this whatsoever and would just say to do it on a short term basis, rather than it being an official request.

The 2 month turnaround for an official request probably doesn't help in this scenario.

@Busywithsomething not dim at all, I think most people don’t know much about this stuff till they need it, and I imagine your thoughts are mostly elsewhere at the moment anyway.

I would suggest you give him a call and have a chat.

I do work in HR and would advise a small company like yours to agree something informal at a ‘local level’ if they can accommodate it for a situation like yours.

Flexible working requests are a formal process that comes under specific legislation. It’s really useful if you’re looking for a permanent change to your hours or if you’re getting push back on a change that should be able to be accommodated but the company is being awkward.

I think if you have a reasonable manager and go armed with all the reasons it will be good for the company as well as you and how if there are any challenges you will manage them then there is no reason it has to be a formal FWR at this stage.

Thanks very much to everyone who is answering. Lots of really helpful things you're saying. I think I know how to take it forward. I'll call and talk it over with him and not mention flexible working. Sadly I've got a horrible feeling the situation will have changed completely in 4 - 6 months.

Many thanks !