Part time work change to hours

mambo69

Ok this has come up recently, but I dont know where we stand. Apologies its so long!

When we had our second son my wife reduced her hours to 20 per week and changed hours to 1pm to 5pm daily. However our eldest then had his school hours changed, so now he attends a morning class. She discussed this with her employer (NHS) and it was agreed that one week she would work nights, and the next days with hours of 9.30 till 11.30, hour for lunch and then 12.30 till 2.30. This was because she had to collect our son from school and drop him at the child minders.

However her work were complaining so after some discusions we managed to reduce this down to twice per week only (the other 3 days my mom picks him up from school), but she recently had a meeting with her line manager and HR (competency review) and the HR lady was really laying it on that its not right having to disrupt the working day.

Now my question is that her hours were agreed with her boss, and we have been as flexible as we can be in changing three days, so can they now force a change of hours on her, which if they did would mean she would have to quit? The HR lady seemed more interested in protecting the hospital than the employee, and we just need some advise on where we stand

mambo69

no one at all?

liney

Did she put in an offical request in writing to HR for flexible working, and how long has she been doing the new hours for?

mambo69

in hindsight she should have put it in writing

she has been doing the new hours since September when school started, but on the flip side there is nothing in writing from her boss to say its a temporary arrangement, so could it be assummed it was a permanent change of hours?

liney

Is there anything in writing at all?

HR will, rightly, argue that she has not followed the correct proceedure to request flexible working, and that they never would have agreed to these hours as they do not fit the needs of the business.

She hasn't had this arrangment long enough to argue Custom and Practice.

You say your son is at school - do you mean Pre School, as he's only doing half a day? When will he go full time?
Ulimately you need to request an arrangment which they will agree to and will continue to suit when your child's hours change. Is there not an option for her to work nights or evenings permanently?

mambo69

thanks for the feedback


My wife put her requested new hours in writing to her boss and her verbally agreed to them, and has the hours on his board, where he keeps any such notes like this so the management team is aware of supervisors and workers hours.

Our son will not go full until September 2010 as he is only 4 this christmas. However we will then have our other son starting pre school, so flexible hours may change.

Does the fact her boss verbally agreed, and has her new hours pinned on a board make a difference?

liney

Honestly, i don't think it does.

Your wife, and her boss need to follow the policy set out by HR, and being the NHS there will be one. Request a copy, and go from there.

Just FYI, flexible working requests are usually limited to once in 12months, so do take this into account.

Savvy_Sue

Plus, once you've got the new hours, you don't have the right to go back to the old ones if your circumstances change - you'd have to request another change, I believe, and as liney says you can only do that every 12 months.