What to consider when going back to work part time, working hours, childcare etc

Buzzybee90

Goldiegirl wrote: »

My colleagues do work a seven hour day, so they have a 35 hour week.

But I'm employed for 16 hours a week, so that's why I have two 8 hour days.

Fair enough.

I work 35 hours a week and finish 5 hours early one day a week. I guess I can say I'm full time!

Goldiegirl

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

Fair enough.

I work 35 hours a week and finish 5 hours early one day a week. I guess I can say I'm full time!

At my previous job, when I was full time, my friend did something similar. She did a 35 hour week, but did the hours over 4 days, so she could have a day off each week.

But she had to get into work at 7am, which was way too early for me, so I stuck to the traditional 9 to 5.

But I think it's good when employers offer some flexibility over hours.

Buzzybee90

Goldiegirl wrote: »

At my previous job, when I was full time, my friend did something similar. She did a 35 hour week, but did the hours over 4 days, so she could have a day off each week.

But she had to get into work at 7am, which was way too early for me, so I stuck to the traditional 9 to 5.

But I think it's good when employers offer some flexibility over hours.

I come in pretty early but use one afternoon a week to do volunteering so it works out really well!

youwhat

Thanks everyone for taking time to reply. There were a few things I hadn't thought of, mainly around having some bank holidays "owed" to if they didn't fall on my usual working days, and keeping travel costs down by doing longer days (should have been obvious really!).

I have been looking at the finances and think although I am still going to look to do compressed hours, I will think about spreading those hours over more days.

Some local family but they are in work so unless they have a day off it will fall to myself or boyfriend to collect little one if she is ill. To be honest, there is not a lot I can do about this so we will just have to deal with these situations as they arise.

I realise employer may not agree to what I want, but if you don't ask, you don't get!

Thanks all.

starsandmoon

In my last stage of pregnancy I worked out if I could afford part time work. I then asked my employer if I could drop to 4 days a week (local government) and they agreed I could work Mon-Thur. I then booked a space in the nursery I wanted. I had to give work and the nursery a date of returning to work. I had 7 months off, 2 unpaid. Luckily I had flexi time which made life easier if I was running late or needed to finish early.

Over the years I have used after school clubs and a childminder and now my DD is 12 I pick her up from school after work as she does clubs or the local library were she goes to do her homework. I have a smashing holiday club for school hols and my mum but you need to be very organised and get days off booked and the hol club booked and paid for etc