Employer wants to change my hours..please help.

Caroline73_2

Why doesn't your wife ask one of the people that already works 9-1 if they would consider doing an alternative shift so she could do that one?

Just because your wife has childcare issues it doesn't mean that she should get priority over other members of staff.

Solid grounds would be that there are currently no 9-1 vacancies.

nzmegs

Have they said why they are changing the hours/shifts. it sounds a little arbitrary to me. I don't think you could claim business needs in this case if the previous shift pattern worked perfectly fine then it sounds more like she is being pushed to resign.
She needs to hold her ground and go through all the appeals options she should be offerred. this will buy her some time at least and give them a chance to try another way.
Surely someone needs to cover lunches - maybe she could do 11am-2pm for this purpose?

endure

kamp013 wrote: »

Thank you all for your replies.
Doesnt my wife's employer have to have solid grounds in saying that they cannot accomodate her and give her 9am to 1 pm hours. There are 3 people working 9 to 1 and they do not have children under 16 or any carers resposibilities. Should the employer not be asking them to change their hours and so that my wife can do 9 to 1?

Why should other people change their arrangements just to accommodate the fact that you have children?

kamp013

The employer has said that they only want shifts of 9 to 1pm, 1 to 5 pm and 6 to 10 pm. BUT the 9 to 1pm is full.

Here are the valid reasons an employer can refuse a person who has children under the age of 6 to work flexible hours...
• [FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light][FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light]The burden of additional costs.
[/FONT][/FONT]• [FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light][FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light]A detrimental effect on the ability to meet customer demand.
[/FONT][/FONT]• [FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light][FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light]An inability to reorganise work among other employees.
[/FONT][/FONT]• [FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light][FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light]An inability to recruit additional employees.
[/FONT][/FONT]• [FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light][FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light]A detrimental effect on quality.
[/FONT][/FONT]• [FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light][FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light]A detrimental effect on performance.
[/FONT][/FONT]• [FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light][FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light]Insufficient work when the employee proposes to work.
[/FONT][/FONT]• [FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light][FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light]Planned structural changes.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light][FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light][/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light][FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light]The employer has to visit every possible avenue and prove that they cant let my wife do 9 to 1 and have real reasons and cant just say that "Why should other people change their arrangements just to accommodate the fact that you have children?"[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light][FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light][/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light][FONT=Helvetica 45 Light,Helvetica 45 Light]
[/FONT][/FONT]

endure

The employer wasn't saying that. I was. Why should other people be obliged to change their arrangements to suit you? That's a question for you, not for your wife's employer.

LinasPilibaitisisbatman

I dont think flexible working means that other employees have to have better reasons to work that time.

As for lunches - not on 4 hour shifts

All your wife can do is make her argument and hope

kamp013

endure wrote: »

The employer wasn't saying that. I was. Why should other people be obliged to change their arrangements to suit you? That's a question for you, not for your wife's employer.

Thanks for your reply. The answer to your question is that there are laws put in place for working mothers. It gives mothers the ability to get out there and work. I am not saying why others have to change their hours I am saying that the employer has to atleast ask and see if the others can change their hours.

Regards.

LinasPilibaitisisbatman

kamp013 wrote: »

Thanks for your reply. The answer to your question is that there are laws put in place for working mothers. It gives mothers the ability to get out there and work. I am not saying why others have to change their hours I am saying that the employer has to atleast ask and see if the others can change their hours.

Regards.

It doesnt give the mothers rights to beneficial treatment over others. Maybe they have genuine reasons for saying no or maybe they just prefer the other staff.

Either way as long as they consider it theres nothing the OP can do.

kamp013

LinasPilibaitisisbatman wrote: »

It doesnt give the mothers rights to beneficial treatment over others. Maybe they have genuine reasons for saying no or maybe they just prefer the other staff.

Either way as long as they consider it theres nothing the OP can do.

Once again Thanks for the reply. Please note that I am not arguing with any of you and I really appreciate your thoughts.

The employer can't say we prefer the other staff, that's not a valid answer where the business needs are concerned and yes what ever the genuine reason is will have to be made clear. If a request is turned down, the employer must reply in writing, giving a clear business case reason for the decision.

Thanks.

ceridwen

kamp013 wrote: »

Thank you all for your replies.
Doesnt my wife's employer have to have solid grounds in saying that they cannot accomodate her and give her 9am to 1 pm hours. There are 3 people working 9 to 1 and they do not have children under 16 or any carers resposibilities. Should the employer not be asking them to change their hours and so that my wife can do 9 to 1?

The last flexible working contact came into force last July / August so what was the need for that contract if they are now asking my wife to change now?

as far as i can see, I thought that employers have to revisit other staff and their rota to see if they can change.

Regards

Errrmm...just pointing out that this sounds like you dont care what happens to other staff......I'm sure you dont mean to come over as sounding uncaring...just a thought....

Right now - the way you phrase things is coming over as sounding selfish - I'm sure you cant be really.....

People without children have rights too and may take exception to being shifted around to accommodate others.

As a childless person - I take it on myself not to request annual leave at Christmas or Easter for instance normally - as it doesnt bother me and I know people with children appreciate being more likely to get the leave they require then as a consequence - so childless people will, of themselves, adapt if reasonable to allow for others having children - BUT BUT BUT we do not expect to be forced into making changes to accommodate other peoples life choices.