Flexible working after maternity leave

Mandog

I'm due to return to work at the end of November after my maternity leave. I've been discussing my return with my boss and HR but they can't accommodate my request to work 3 days a week. I asked for a formal statement of the reasons why, which they've provided.

I feel a bit upset because when I think about the team I work in, there are people working all kinds of patterns. Most relevantly, a manager whose job is equivalent to mine is working 3 days a week. Other people, admittedly one rung lower, are working job shares, part-time, short days, all sorts of arrangements to allow them to juggle work with their families or other interests.

Is this a relevant argument? I have an opportunity to appeal but it will be a formal meeting and therefore unpleasant and stressful, not sure it's worth it. If I can't do the 3 days I'll have to resign.

Any thoughts?

Jarndyce

Whilst those are all arguments you can use in your appeal, what is most important is the specific arrangement you have requested and why it can't be accommodated. You have to focus on the reasons they have given (which you have not shared with us so its hard to be specific) and suggest ways round them.

Have a look at the direct.gov website which has a good section on this area:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/Flexibleworking/DG_10029491

Mandog

Many thanks Jarndyce, that link looks useful. The reasons they've given are about workload - it's quite hard to build a counter-argument when I haven't been at work for a year. I'll need to study what they say carefully.

Emmzi

sadly the reason can be "too many people are doing it already and we can't cope with any more." It is about running the business, not treating you all fairly. Sorry.

Mandog

Agreed Emmzi - I think that's what it boils down to. The door seems to have slammed shut just in front of me, which is bad luck.

smileylondongal

If you are going to resign anyway, perhaps a formal meeting might be worthwhile? after all, you wouldn't know until you tried. It's worth giving a strong counter argument to each point that they've made so that they know you've given it some proper thought and thought about the business too.

DaisyFlower

You need to focus on your own request rather than focussing on others. How have you propsed to cover the work that you wont be there to do? You cant expect others to do it so did you ask for a job share to be considered etc?

Its very easy to see what you want personally but you also have to make it attractive to your employer and show that it can work.

Mandog

Thanks for your support Smileylondongal, I know rationally there's nothing to lose.

I did ask about jobshare DaisyFlower - I've suggested all kinds of possibilities actually - a trial, jobsharing, putting in extra hours from home. I did the job in 4 days before and no-one said that was a problem. Point taken though about making the business case.

Thanks to all for your input which has been very helpful.

getmore4less

Did they get maternity cover while you were away?

Is there really too much work

If not they could be looking to lose staff and not offering you part time because they hope you will resign.

Superbiatch

I feel for you, but I've just had to turn down a request for someone very similar to you who wanted to reduce her full time 5 day a week post to 3 days, 22.5 hours. The problem from my point of view is we work in the NHS and our trust has a ban on recruitment at the moment, so if I put in a business case for another 2 day a week post the board would (and HR have assured me of this) reject it.

Therefore I have no choice but to say no, I have asked her to speak to me later on in her maternity leave though to see if anything has changed. Even if she resigns, I still can't replace her and i would have to inform our commissioners we would fall short on their expectations. Hopefully this can give you a bit of an objective opinion as to why management may have turned down your request

getmore4less

Superbiatch wrote: »

I feel for you, but I've just had to turn down a request for someone very similar to you who wanted to reduce her full time 5 day a week post to 3 days, 22.5 hours. The problem from my point of view is we work in the NHS and our trust has a ban on recruitment at the moment, so if I put in a business case for another 2 day a week post the board would (and HR have assured me of this) reject it.

Therefore I have no choice but to say no, I have asked her to speak to me later on in her maternity leave though to see if anything has changed. Even if she resigns, I still can't replace her and i would have to inform our commissioners we would fall short on their expectations. Hopefully this can give you a bit of an objective opinion as to why management may have turned down your request

That is illogical solution unless you can completely delete the work being done.

if no recruitment or suitable staff looking to be redeployed then taking someone part time is surly better than having no one in the post.