Flexible Working again! Slightly unusual I guess

[citybranch]

DH is currently full time (working shift work on a roster). He would like to go part time for childcare reasons, I'm just about to go back to work after mat leave.

Positions on the part-time roster are all filled, but there is a colleague of DH's who would like to go full time for a year. The idea is that they swap positions for a year (The job is exactly the same).

They have approached their notoriously unhelpful manager who says that it can't be done. The reason for this is that there are employees on waiting lists wanting to work at this location and it would not be fair on them.

Am I right that DH should put this as a formal flexible working request as we have 2 children under 5? Upsetting people on a list surely isn't a business reason, and I can't actually see that they would be upset as it is a mutual swap between 2 employees already at the location?

Any thoughts welcome! Thankyou

Yes he should do a formal request, and as this would obviously be perfectly possible and he has a solution all worked out, they ought to agree it as far as I can see. And no, putting other people's noses out of joint isn't a valid business reason...

Phew, this is what I thought!
Thank you very much. We'll go for it then.

Hi citybranch

Although you wouldn't want him to put his employers nose out of joint, there is a legal requirement for the company to consider the application and as flowerybeanbag says, its not good enough excuse that it would upset others!

A large employer may also have a standalone policy for flexible working...