Flexible working is a joke

[amethyst123]

I have just been told that my application for flexible working has been turned down unless i change jobs, in order to have my old job back when my maternity leave ends i must return full time which isent possible for me to do now, the new job is nothing like my old one in fact it has been advertised on the work notice board for the best part of three years as noone wants to do it, i have said i dont want the job and i was told i should hand in my notice.
So what is the point in flexible working if they can just turn around and say no we dont have anyone to cover you!!!
I have made suggestions that would help i.e the girl who is covering me while i am on maternity leave could help out in my absence and i have asked for a trial run of three months to see if any problems arise and have been told flat out no.
I am going back four days a week out of five and asking to start an hour and a half later then normal in the mornings when we are quiet so i dont think i am being un reasonable with my hours, bacically they are using me to fill a position they cant fill and giving my job the girl who is covering my maternity leave.
I being punished for having a baby how fair is that???

[Wedgie]

Amesthyst123, I also had my flexible working request turned down when i went back to work 12 months ago. I wanted to work from home one day a week, so the company wasn't losing out. They trumped up the excuse of being concerned about my child's health and safety! (this from a company who didn't do me a risk assessment in the office when I was pregnant). I think I am a little more qualified to comment on my child's h&s that they were.

Then when I agreed to go back on a 4 day week they tried to chage my job description and demote me! Bloody marvellous!
It's great if you have caring employers but my feeling is that if you are unfortunate enough to work for an old fashioned sexist firm with outdated policies then the only option is to challenge their thinking by putting in a grievance. Only you know whether you can go through that because, like my employer, it was held against me when I did go back.

The argument about 'valid business reasons' is fine but if in reality, if they frequently apply double standards on a day to day basis you can't win. They didn't want me working from home, which was the bottom line. However, one of my male colleagues on the same level as me frequently works from home and has children! I wonder if he is allowed because he didn't expressly ask for flexible working or if it's because he didn't inconvenience the company by getting pregnant? Funny how they have a much higher percentage of male staff than female.....

I can only go on my experience which I've read that alot of us have, and I do feel for you because requests are not always fairly considered.

Bag of sh*te indeed. Best of luck x

[NatLex]

the policy is a waste of time, as employer will only do what suits them better and don't really care what your needs are. It actually states in the policy document that the reasons for your request are irrelevant, how can it be irrelevant when the needs need to be carefully considered. Obviously the needs are irrelevant too. One would have thought they would want you to stay in the job if they are worried you leaving is going to have tremendous effect on the team, but then went and refused it flat out. Daaa very confused. Now I have to leave, so they are in shit anyway, makes no sense. Took them 2 years to find someone suitable for this role, I came and got excellent results, asked for some flexibility, refused flat, now they are back to square one - makes absolutely no sense to me.
Any thoughts?

[Kiwinyc]

what were their objections? What mitigation can you offer to solve the issues they are worried about?

When i did my application i thought of every objection they might have and provided a solution to each one.

[NatLex]

all their reasons were completely weak and unjustrifiable, almost made-up I would say. I didn't want to argue, as was still on probation and also thought that if they did it like this with a very simple request without offering a trial, then I have no chance in hell to ask for part-time or anything else.

[amethyst123]

Hi Natlex have just been reading your other post about flexible working i'm really sorry and know what you are going through as my request was also turned down, dont give up try a few more suggestions trial period, change hours/days around a bit to show you are being flexible then if they still say 'no' you must work for the same sort off company as me where no matter what you suggest they were always going to turn you down,
I'm still looking for another job really wish i had appealed now but dont think it would have got me anywhere to be honest

[NatLex]

Hi Amethyst
I didn't appeal either at the time, as didn't want to make things difficult for myself, was still on probation at the time. I have actually now put a different suggestion forward and asked my boss to back me up a bit more and convince the others that it will work. He was supportive, but the problem now is that I might have to wait another year before putting my request in formally. Grrrrr. Well, I might have to wait till March, but they might approve then, however, I am concerned things will change in the department by then to make it more difficult or something. I would love for it to happen now, but hey, not a lot I can do and praying my boss charms HR a bit more and stands up to his boss.

[amethyst123]

Natlex,
Good luck i hope it all works out for you.

[NatLex]

Thank you very much amethyst!!! All the best to you too.