Flexible Working - with Kiddies at home?!?

Cybes100

Hi,
I'm currently lucky enough to be able to work a 3 day week, and have my daughter in childcare for those 3 days.
My sister is pregnant, and due next month. She is under the impression that when she returns to work next year, that she can request flexible working - so to be able to work from home, but have her little one at home with her at the same time, and hence save on childcare costs.
Is this correct? Will she be allowed to work from home, and have her children at home too? Does she have to declare that she will have her child at home with her?

Thanks.

Marisco

Surely that would depend on what job she does, and if the firm are willing or able to let her work from home! If the job means that she has to be office based, then I cannot see them allowing her to work from home. I might be wrong here, but I didn't think flexi hours means you have to be allowed to work from home.

kingfisherblue

I don't know if she has to declare that she has her child at home with her, but does she realistically think she will be able to work as well as look after her child?

Also, she can request flexible working, but this does not have to include workung from home. It is also not guaranteed - her employer can refuse on business grounds.

BigAunty

Members of the employment forum may be able to refer you to the specific policy. Like the others, I don't believe there is any mandatory requirement for an employer to consent to their employees working from home...

A

Cybes100

She is office based, and someone else already works from home - so I presume that she'll be able to as well.

I ask because i too am allowed to work from when if need be - on the 3 days that I work.

I know it would be very difficult to work from home with a toddler around - but i didn't think it was allowed - or you had to declare it - and surely no business would agree - and it wouldn't be fair on the little one really would it?

She seems to be banking on them letting her (because her emplyer currently lets someone else - but they care for 2 older people - not children, so slightly different).

brians_daughter

Your sister holds the right to request flexible working.

Her employer has a duty to facilitate where possible they do not however have a duty to grant flexibility or home working if business needs cannot be met. The employer doesnt even have to agree for your sister to go back pt or at reduced hours if it is felt that the business cannot support such requests

what job does she do? I can think of very few jobs that would allow her to have a child at home whilst she works. I hold down various jobs to make ends meet. One of them being working 4 nights a month from home for emergency engineer call outs.

Even though my shifts are 9pm to 9am and my children are asleep from 7pm i still have to ensure someone is at home with me (grannys, grandads, childrens father) to be on call incase one of the children wakes up.
My boss often calls me at 4am to see how busy I have been (AKA check up on me) and if he heard a child in the background i would be in serious trouble.

brians_daughter

Cybes100 wrote: »

She is office based, and someone else already works from home - so I presume that she'll be able to as well.

I ask because i too am allowed to work from when if need be - on the 3 days that I work.

I know it would be very difficult to work from home with a toddler around - but i didn't think it was allowed - or you had to declare it - and surely no business would agree - and it wouldn't be fair on the little one really would it?

She seems to be banking on them letting her (because her emplyer currently lets someone else - but they care for 2 older people - not children, so slightly different).

when you say office based what exactly does she do?
does she deal with customers via telephone? does she have deadlines? meetings?

I only ask as if she is answering calls etc how does that look from a business point of view?

ring ring..
your sis - Hello x for y here. How many i help?
customer - Just looking for information regarding...
MUMMY PLEASE CAN I WATCH IN THE NIGHT GARDEN PLEASE PLEASE...

See what i mean? not very professional lol

Just because someone in the office has been granted flexible working it doesnt mean they do the same role as her or that it would be agreed.

Cybes100

Hello,
Thanks, that's what I'm thinking too.

She's a Medical secretary, but I'm not too sure what that entales!

The other person that works from homes cares for her mother and brother, so probably old enough to know that she is 'working'.

I agree that it would be unprofessional to have a child in the background. But does she have to tell them, legally, I wonder??

Badger_Lady

It's allowed in my office - we have a couple of new mums who've returned from maternity leave and now work 1 day a week from home.

At our place, everyone has the right to work 1 day a week from home as long as they're not all off on the same day, and as long as it doesn't interfere with their project work. In fact I do it every Friday to make my weekly commute worthwhile.

And there's no exclusion from that rule for people with dependents... I guess they would be pulled up individually and spoken to if their productivity was below par, but it's not assumed that it will be just because there's a baby in the house.

In short: it depends on the employer. Your sister may well be right. She won't know until she speaks to them.

sweettirana

I work from home one day a week and had to apply for it and go through all the channels of form filling and meetings etc (my company are very proper!).

Anyway, as far as I understand it, those with dependants can apply for flexible working but your reason can't be to care for those dependants!

Sounds like a bit of double edged sword!

I had my request met as I have a 4 hour a day commute, so a Wednesday at home gives me a better work/life balance (not out the door at 6am and home at 7pm), the reason for me wanting a better work/life balance was obviously because of my dependant, but not to care for her.

My daughter is still in childcare on those days, but I get to see her off, pick her up, give her her tea and have a bath with her - all things that are a luxury when you are usually out of the house 13 hours a day!

Hope that helps!

P.S. I am an accountant for a charity if that matters!

Cybes100

hiya,
yes, i too work flexible hours - my employer lets me work a 3 day week - but I have childcare in place for those 3 days.

I'd expect that if you didn't need childcare to be in place, then everyone would request to be able to work from home, as they'd save thousands in childcare!!! (Including me!!).

I just wondered if anyone else know of anyone working from home, whilst looking after a child too?

(I'll be sooooo jealous if she's allowed!!!)