Right to flexible working hours?

mess0804

I am "single" all week-ends, only meet my OH in the nights and I just heard that he will be working for Christmas, until the 29th december
We are trying to rase some money s we think we sacrifice one or two years like this for a goal...
Is it up to you to decide to look for a part time job, or for your OH to change work pattern.
If I were your boss I wouldn't change it just because you spend only 2 in 3 week-ends with your OH...

liney

Clear business grounds: We found that the 4 day week was an issue with the previous employee so when they left we reorganised the office and a 5 day week person is required, to man the phones and assist the Director, daily.

You asked, and they said no, on very reasonable grounds.

paulwf

As I work in retail and my OH works in an office we count ourselves lucky we have every other weekend together. Actually it works rather well as it means there is more time when one of us is off to run errands, wait in for deliveries, do the shopping, cook dinner etc.

Could you perhaps try and request an early start on a Monday or Friday? If you started at 8am you'd be done by 2pm, you could have a late lunch together or in the lighter summer months still go out somewhere together.

computershack

Raksha wrote: »

I work 30 hours/week as a PA/Administrator for a very small company (3 employees) 6 hours a day. My OH works in IT for a Government dept and works 24/7 shifts (3 rotations over a 5 week period).

We are finding our personal relationship getting more and more strained as we only get 2 weekends out of 3 together,

What the hell are you whinging about? When I was on rotating shifts, me and the missus got 3 weekends out of 8 together.

He works for the Civil Service and you work part time so you've got plenty of time during the week because neither of you work what I'd call proper fulltime hours.

Your relationship has problems which go beyond only seeing each other 2 out of 3 weekends...

Raksha

Thanks to those who've been sympathetic.

To the others - walking a mile in another man's shoes might be useful............

paulwf

Raksha wrote: »

Thanks to those who've been sympathetic.

To the others - walking a mile in another man's shoes might be useful............

Those that have been unsympathetic in the majority have been those that have stated they get less weekends together than you and your OH do.

Hopefully I didn't come across as being unsympathetic (just realistic) but many people have walked many miles in shoes less comfortable than yours.

Raksha

paulwf wrote: »

Those that have been unsympathetic in the majority have been those that have stated they get less weekends together than you and your OH do.

Hopefully I didn't come across as being unsympathetic (just realistic) but many people have walked many miles in shoes less comfortable than yours.

You have no idea how comfortable my shoes (or those of my OH) may be. I posted facts on here which are relevant to the issue, there is a lot of other stuff which I haven't mentioned because it's not relelvant to 'flexible working' but is relevant to the time I get to spend with my OH.

computershack

Raksha wrote: »

Thanks to those who've been sympathetic.

To the others - walking a mile in another man's shoes might be useful............

I think you'll find we have. Most of the last 15 years I've worked 50-70hrs a week, nights, days rotating shifts.....

Zazen999

Raksha wrote: »

You have no idea how comfortable my shoes (or those of my OH) may be.

And you have no idea how comfortable or not anyone else's shoes may be.

If you just wanted advice that you were going to agree with; perhaps you should have put in your first post that you wanted sympathy, not advice.

busterian

Welcome to the real world! My OH works Monday to Saturday EVERY week and I only get to spend Sunday with him.

Unfortunately, life is like this for many people and you either put up with it and try and spend quality time together when you can or do something about it by one of you changing jobs.

Sorry, no sympathy here I am afraid - just cold, hard facts!