Maternity leave return and flexible working application-Help Please!

sfancy

Hi All,

I will be returning to work next month from maternity leave and have submitted a flexible work application.

I currently work a 4 day week ( where 1 day can be from home) and have requested to work 2 days a week and one day from home on a trial basis.

I am very worried that my application is going to be rejected because of 2 reasons:

1) I recently raised a grievance against my boss and her manager ( which was upheld) however, I fear retaliation as they made up many lies in the grievance process and are clearly bitter.

2) We are being Tupe'd over to a new company upon my return and while nobody has officially said that redundancies are going to occur, I think this is quite common in company's being taken over.

I know that that one of the reasons that a flexible working application can be rejected is:' planned structural changes'.

My question is that can my application be rejected because of planned stural changes even if changes are not official or announced?

Does anyone have any advice on how I can be successful? My meeting is this week!

Thanks so much!!

sfancy

Thanks so much Googlewhacker! I would't be able to resign for at least 6 months because I would have to pay my maternity pay back (the companytopped it up).

Wish the former would happen! Thanks again!

sfancy

Can't happening as I am a permanent employee..

I just want to have a retort for whatever they bring up but am very nervous as they have also called in my managers, managers manager to the meeting!

mountainofdebt

Playing devil's advocate here how you manage to work from home with a young baby to look after?

Do you propose that this is a 'set' day or would you consider that it could be one of any of the three that you weren't physically in the office?

sfancy

Hi,

My baby will be in fulltime nursery, so childcare is not a problem. My current contract is 3 days at work one day at home. I have always been flexible as to which day I work from home depending on business needs.

ajaney

If you work in an office where other people carry out the same or similar role, you could try to sell it as a cost saving? I am returning to work at the council & they have gladly accepted my flexible working request & are taking my reduction in hours as a budget saving.

sfancy

I wish mine would mdo that but I work for a huge multinational firm.
I have asked to take my holidays before I start work as I have over 21 days and now they are messing me around with that and not responding!

gratefulforhelp_2

Sorry but my experience of this process is that it is all style and no substance.

The "sound business reason" for rejection can be as daft as they like, and your only option then is appeal (to them!) and then tribunal.

Best hope is they want to see less of you (!) and save money. Good luck.