Flexible working request - advice please!

[eatsleeppoop]

I am currently on maternity leave and returning to work in January. I have put in a request for part-time working with my employer, 3 days a week, and they have agreed to this. However, they are saying I have to be flexible regarding the days I work. They are saying this could change on a week-by-week basis. This is obviously going to make it very difficult to arrange childcare since I'll be using a childminder and nursery. Where do I stand on this? How should I respond?

Many thanks x

I have a very hazy understanding so forgive me if I'm wrong but

you are entitled to apply for child friendly hours, you don't need to justify your request but will help you in the long run if you can give good reasons why you wish these hours

if they refuse your request, they HAVE to justify WHY they're refusing them and you have a right to appeal

be careful what you ask for though as you can only do one application a year so make sure its absolutely what you want (been caught out with that one)

have you chosen your nursery/childminder? some of them can be quite flexible with regards to requests as long as you give them enough notice

What is their aim in this. Will they want you to mess around every week, or just to swap an occasional day to cover an important training day or client event (well in my job it would be).

You could say that, given sufficient notice you could change your days subject to arranging childcare. The nursery/childminder will probably accommodate you if they have space.

TBH it's hard work working with part time people who are different every week, you lose track (and I am one!)

When I first went back to work (I am 3.5 days) I would swap days for meetings etc, but even though the CM could take DS, it just upset our home routine so badly it wasn't worth it. My colleagues prefer predictability too. It works both ways as I try not to mess work around if I have a personal commitment but just take a half day holiday.

offer fixed days - at their choice, and then (if practical for you) say that you would be willing to make occasional changes to your working week to meet the demands of the post. In my case I - and many of my colleagues - have fixed days but if a meeting or event crops up on the days we don't normally work that we need to attend, then days get swapped. I have to say that they are really good employers (it's a charity) and there is plenty of give-and-take on both sides, so i am usually happy to swap days occasionally.

Thanks for your speedy comments!

I have found a childminder and I'm going to talk to her tomorrow about how flexible she can be. I'm thinking then I will get back to work with something along the lines of 'my childminder can be flexible for occasional days but I will need to have agreed 2 fixed days' - (or whatever she says). My dd already attends nursery but changing the days requires at least a months notice (assuming they have a space on that day). I have 2 children which makes organising childcare slightly more tricky.

I work in an area of the business where we are assigned to projects. I was told the days would depend on the needs of the project I am on and the individual project manager. I suspect once I'm on a project I'll be able to agree the days/hours, but I can't wait until I'm on a project to sort out my childcare, and in theory the project could change regularly. My manager basically said to me that I could be given a week's notice to work alternative days.

I am willing to be as flexible as I can regards training days/meetings etc. although within reason as I will have to find childcare for two which may not be easy. The only way I can see it working is for us to agree fixed days with occasional changes (as suggested by gigglewitch). I just wanted to check I'm not being unreasonable asking for this!

I don't think what you are asking for is unreasonable, as what they are offering you is a bit of a pig in a poke unless you can afford to pay for 5 days x 2 lots of childcare each week and only use 3 days x 2. It would be difficult to expect any childminder to work a random 3 days a week because they need to know numbers and she will presumably have outings organised. Also as you say your DD is at nursery so impossible to change the days.

I would suggest that you request 3 set days, but offer something such as Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, so you are never out of the business for more than one day in a row and commit to be as flexible as you can for occasional changes.