DH requesting flexible working- help with proposal please!

[Thandeka]

DH works at old fuddy duddy law firm in city and wants to go down to 4 days a week so he can do childcare and I can maintain my career. We are writing the proposal- any tips on how to really sell it to the firm?

Basically what are the advantages to the employer in saying yes to this request?

Do you have children under 5? They are much more likely to be accepting if you do. I think I said that I was very good at managing my workload, that I was prepared to work evenings and check my email, that my line manager was supportive and that I was really confident that I could do my job effectively in 4 days rather than 5.

Yup one due feb so have a legal right to ask (and since precedent is set for female members at firm then could have case for sex discrim if refused)

Some suggestions that may be helpful, it all depends on his particular work circumstances

• ask for a trial period
• try to present as many permutations as would be acceptable, it makes it harder for the employer to say no
• make the most of the face to face meetings, these can be incredibly persuasive
• give a little if necessary, for example he could say he is willing to be contacted on his day off if an important issue arises and/or that he will check emails once a day at 3p.m.
• that he is flexible in return so if an event occurs on his day off that he ideally should attend, he will do his utmost to do so
• be flexible about as much as he can be, e.g. which day he has off
• think about what the challenges are and suggest solutions

-you only have the legal right to ask if you have a child under 17 (the law has changed), but if you are pregnant and no children you do not have the right to make a fformal request under the regs. HOWEVER, pre 2003 when the right came in, employees did make requests to work flexibly and refusals then as now may fall foul of the SDA. The flex working regs have no clout, the benefit of them is procedural in that the employer MUST follow a set procedure and have face to face meetings etc...

So if this is your first baby he can still make an informal request and if they refused to even consider this could be contrary to the SDA if a woman's informal request would have been considered.

I know of a magic circle partner who works a four day week. It is becoming more common for men in the City to work flexibly.
Good luck with it.

Sorry if my previous post was unclear.

If you are pregnant and you have no other children he would not be entitled to make a formal request. He can however make an informal request and many employees do, for example those who do not have the requisite service or who are pregnant/partner is pregnant