Flexible working hours for parents?

Barnesy_10 · September 24, 2007

Hi guys

Where I work the basic working day is 10am to 6:30pm

They have recently introduced a scheme where you can change these hours to 9am to 5:30pm or 8am to 4:30pm.

I have a 6 month old son who has just started nursery and goes in on a Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 7:45am to 4:30pm. On the Wednesday my father in law is coming across from York to look after him, this will be every Wednesday. Now to maximize the amount of time I get to see my son I want to change my working hours to 9am to 5:30pm, so I can get home to at least see him before he goes to bed at 7p.m. But on Wednesdays I am going to have to wait at home till my father in law arrives, which will be 9am.

So I just asked if I could work the following.

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday = 9am - 5:30pm

Wednesdays = 10 - 6:30pm

I got told that I couldn't... it had to be one or the other, 5 days a week. I even got told that some had asked to do something similar but wanted to leave different times on some days so they could go mountain biking.... I said my child is slightly different to mountain biking, but got the response that they can't show preference to people with families.

I am sure there must be some law which insists that working hours should be flexible around a child's welfare.... is there?

Has anyone been in the same situation?

Its really pissed me off that they have declined this... I love my job and have put it as priority at times, which I haven't been proud of... but since my son was born I have realised my priorities and want to see him and be with him as much as possible, it seems my job is preventing me from doing that.

cheers for any help.

Woodsyla · September 24, 2007

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