Flexible working

[Mustang]

I know it's a permie thing but wondered if any of you had any experience with a nearest & dearest requesting flexible working?

My wife is going back to work after the birth of our son and she doesn't want to work a full week. Prior to maternity leave she worked 32 hours (4 days) and now she wants to work 3 days.

I have searched on google and got the facts from a couple of site but what I was looking for was first hand experience. She is worried that her Employer (the NHS...) will try to refuse on some business reason (as this is the only reason they are genuinely allowed to).

All input welcome - especially serious stuff!!!

[tim123]

ISTM that you are putting the cart before the horse.

Why not wait to find out what your options are when you know what the employer's response is?

tim

[Mustang]

ISTM that you are putting the cart before the horse.

Why not wait to find out what your options are when you know what the employer's response is?

tim

Tim - do you want to try and explain that to my wife....?!!

Joking apart, thanks for the input. My approach was to be to think of the possible objections and phrase this next response in such a way as to minimise the objections that they could come up with. Second guessing is always a gamble though.

[Old Greg]

Mustang, what does your missus do in the NHS?

[Mustang]

Mustang, what does your missus do in the NHS?

She is a sonographer/radiographer and has Atilla the Hun as a boss.....

[Old Greg]

She is a sonographer/radiographer and has Atilla the Hun as a boss.....

I'm assuming it's in an Acute Trust, and I know the reputation of Radiography Superintendents - used to know a nasty one. It would be very hard to justify a business reason for not letting her return, especially if she has no major management responsibilities (and even then it should be manageable). If she goes part time, they'll have to find someone to replace the lost hours, just as if she left. And in fact, having two part time people can provide more flexibility. What I would do if I were her is:

Talk to her professional body - they should have a local representative and get their advice.
Research NHS policies - the Trust should have a policy on flexible working that she can read through - then she'll know what criteria she has to meet.
She may find some national guidance at nhsemployers.org - not sure.
Find out about colleagues (either in radiography or other therapies or nursing) who have done the same.
Ask to have an informal chat beforehand with someone from HR (never a pleasant experience but there you go) and see what it takes to get it agreed.
Then go through the formal process, hopefully forearmed and take it from there if it doesn't work out (not forgetting professional body representation).
If she has trouble, one thing worth considering (if relevant) is to offer to change the balance of work: e.g., if she currently does 2 days plain film X-Ray and 2 days Ultrasound a week, she could offer to do 1 or 2 days of each flexibly, according to where the need is, or permanently do one day of one and two days of the other. She might get stuck with the boring one (guessing plain film) but you can't have everything. Remember, she's asking them to be flexible so she may have to be flexible herself, and it always pays to keep their business needs in mind.. Good luck, let us know how it works out.

[TheFaQQer]

I'm assuming it's in an Acute Trust, and I know the reputation of Radiography Superintendents - used to know a nasty one. It would be very hard to justify a business reason for not letting her return, especially if she has no major management responsibilities (and even then it should be manageable). If she goes part time, they'll have to find someone to replace the lost hours, just as if she left. And in fact, having two part time people can provide more flexibility. What I would do if I were her is:

Talk to her professional body - they should have a local representative and get their advice.
Research NHS policies - the Trust should have a policy on flexible working that she can read through - then she'll know what criteria she has to meet.
She may find some national guidance at nhsemployers.org - not sure.
Find out about colleagues (either in radiography or other therapies or nursing) who have done the same.
Ask to have an informal chat beforehand with someone from HR (never a pleasant experience but there you go) and see what it takes to get it agreed.
Then go through the formal process, hopefully forearmed and take it from there if it doesn't work out (not forgetting professional body representation).
If she has trouble, one thing worth considering (if relevant) is to offer to change the balance of work: e.g., if she currently does 2 days plain film X-Ray and 2 days Ultrasound a week, she could offer to do 1 or 2 days of each flexibly, according to where the need is, or permanently do one day of one and two days of the other. She might get stuck with the boring one (guessing plain film) but you can't have everything. Remember, she's asking them to be flexible so she may have to be flexible herself, and it always pays to keep their business needs in mind.. Good luck, let us know how it works out.

That's one of the most helpful posts I think I've ever read on here!!

Has something changed while I've been away??? Off to TPD to check...

[Let-Me-In]

I know it's a permie thing but wondered if any of you had any experience with a nearest & dearest requesting flexible working?

My wife is going back to work after the birth of our son and she doesn't want to work a full week. Prior to maternity leave she worked 32 hours (4 days) and now she wants to work 3 days.

I have searched on google and got the facts from a couple of site but what I was looking for was first hand experience. She is worried that her Employer (the NHS...) will try to refuse on some business reason (as this is the only reason they are genuinely allowed to).

All input welcome - especially serious stuff!!!

Has she considered doing bank work? That way she works through an agency and gets a higher salary but more flexibility...ring any bells?

My ex wife does it and she is a midwife.

[Mustang]

I'm assuming it's in an Acute Trust, and I know the reputation of Radiography Superintendents - used to know a nasty one. It would be very hard to justify a business reason for not letting her return, especially if she has no major management responsibilities (and even then it should be manageable). If she goes part time, they'll have to find someone to replace the lost hours, just as if she left. And in fact, having two part time people can provide more flexibility. What I would do if I were her is:

Talk to her professional body - they should have a local representative and get their advice.
Research NHS policies - the Trust should have a policy on flexible working that she can read through - then she'll know what criteria she has to meet.
She may find some national guidance at nhsemployers.org - not sure.
Find out about colleagues (either in radiography or other therapies or nursing) who have done the same.
Ask to have an informal chat beforehand with someone from HR (never a pleasant experience but there you go) and see what it takes to get it agreed.
Then go through the formal process, hopefully forearmed and take it from there if it doesn't work out (not forgetting professional body representation).
If she has trouble, one thing worth considering (if relevant) is to offer to change the balance of work: e.g., if she currently does 2 days plain film X-Ray and 2 days Ultrasound a week, she could offer to do 1 or 2 days of each flexibly, according to where the need is, or permanently do one day of one and two days of the other. She might get stuck with the boring one (guessing plain film) but you can't have everything. Remember, she's asking them to be flexible so she may have to be flexible herself, and it always pays to keep their business needs in mind.. Good luck, let us know how it works out.

Thanks OG - I will let you know how we get on.

[Mustang]

Has she considered doing bank work? That way she works through an agency and gets a higher salary but more flexibility...ring any bells?

My ex wife does it and she is a midwife.

Bank work? What do you mean? Before she took this role, my wife was a locum so she could consider doing that 3 days a week.