flexible working hours

scotty1971

My brother in law,s wife has just recently given birth to their first child. My brother in law has asked his employer for flexible working hours, a policy which is included in his companys working manual. He is asking for set days off each week but will continue to work his usual 35hrs per week. in order to accomodate the change he has compiled a set of rotas which consider the needs of the rest of his collegues.

My brother in law is a support worker and his service user requires 24hr support. His team has five members of staff.
He has received word back stating that his application was unsuccessful on the grounds that his work collegues would suffer, which he assures me is not the case.

He has a meeting with his manager on Monday and would appreciate any advice he could take with him.

liney

Are the set days he wants off weekends perchance, meaning his collegues would no longer have weekend free time in their rota?

And just btw.. Your Brother in laws wife? Don't you mean your sister?

scotty1971

the way he worked rotas,his collegues would have most weekends off,as he would be working them
btw.his sister is my partner

liney

Oh never thought of that - sister's partner etc - just looked odd.:o

Employers are supposed to consider requests and make reasonable adjustments. They can turn down requests due to the needs of the business.

If 5 other people would have to change their hours to accomadate him i think they would say that is not a reasonable adjustment.

scotty1971

his other collegues,work the same way as he does,he does 35hrs over 7 days,which include early shifts,backshifts and sleepovers,so you could say his collegues are benifitting in a way,as they would prob have more weekends off

surreysaver

scotty1971 wrote: »

his other collegues,work the same way as he does,he does 35hrs over 7 days,which include early shifts,backshifts and sleepovers,so you could say his collegues are benifitting in a way,as they would prob have more weekends off

Unless weekends attract premium payments? Then the other workers would lose out. Or perhaps the other workers' partners work during the week so working weekends suits them?

Mudd14

Flexible time should be considered by employers and can only be declined on certain terms.

You can appeal the decision if you feel it is not just; the BERR have some helpfull forms to appeal the decision here;

http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/employment/workandfamilies/flexible-working/flexforms/index.html

PasturesNew

It could also be a wider issue. While he might have been able to draw up a rota, that would be out of the window if one left, one went on holiday and one went sick, then where'd they be!

scotty1971

rotas are always subject to these sort of things,you can allow for holidays,as everyone is entitled to these,as for sickness,dosen't matter how a rota is made up,u can't predict when someone is going to be sick.
as for someone leaving,he dosen't have a crystal ball,rotas are made up weeks in advance,so these things you talked about are irelavant,if they were,you would only have one weeks rota at a time,which is no good.

DaisyFlower

TBH I can see why it was turned down. I wouldn't be happy if I worked in a team with somebody who re-organised the rota to suit them personally.

Its very easy when completing a flexible request just to do it to suit yourself rather than everyone. He can ask his employers if they will meet him half way and get some of the shifts he wants, give and take usually works.

scotty1971

nobody in the team has objected to this,as they are getting most weekends off,it's just the employers who seem to object,he hasen't even asked for his two set days off to be together,
the question he really wants answered if they turn him down at the meeting,is there anyway he could take it further.
if he was a woman asking for flexible time,for being with there child,i don't believe there would be much objection