Flexible Working Policy


Flexible working

Parents of children under the age of six, or of disabled children under the age of 18, have the right to apply to work flexibly. From 6th April 2007, the flexible working regulations 2006 came into force and extended the right to carers of certain adults.

Employees not covered by this policy may still request to work flexibly and the process for considering that request will be broadly similar. However, in this instance, the line manager’s decision will be final and there will be no right to appeal, other than through FSA’s grievance procedure. The application process is the same for all employees (see below).

There is no automatic right to work flexibly, as there will always be circumstances when the FSA is unable to accommodate a desired work pattern. However, this policy aims to facilitate discussion and to encourage both parties to find a mutually agreeable solution. Each request will be considered seriously and assessed on its own merits.

Eligibility

In order to make a request you must:

  • Be the parent, adoptive parent, guardian, special guardian or foster parent of a child under the age of six (or under the age of 18 if the child is disabled).
  • Have caring responsibilities for an adult aged 18 or over who is the employee's spouse, civil partner or live-in partner, a relative, or someone living at the same address as the employee.
  • Have worked continuously for FSA for 26 weeks at the date the application is made
  • Make the application no later than 2 weeks before your child’s sixth (or 18th) birthday
  • Have or expect to have responsibility for your child’s upbringing
  • Be making the application to enable you to care for your child or dependent
  • Not have made another application to work flexibly during the past 12 months.

Considerations

In considering a request for flexible working, FSA will take the following factors into account:

  • Will FSA’s business be affected by not having someone in post during standard working hours?
  • Can all the necessary work be done in the hours/days requested?
  • Is there another job of similar level that the worker could do flexibly?
  • What benefits would the company get from this arrangement?
  • What would the effect be on the morale and commitment of other staff?
  • What are the potential cost implications to the Company?
  • Have other requests to work flexibly been made in the area and how were they treated?

While FSA will endeavour to accommodate your request, it should be noted that requests for compressed hours will only be agreed in exceptional circumstances.

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Making a request

You will be required to make a request by completing the e-form on Connect+, or in writing on a hard copy if you are applying during your maternity leave and are therefore unable to access the e-form.

An agreed request will normally be subject to a six month trial period during which the arrangement will be subject to continuous review. Failure to deliver will result in a return to a normal working pattern.

At the end of the trial period, if it is agreed by both parties that the new arrangements are working, the application will be accepted. An accepted application will mean a permanent change to Terms and Conditions, unless agreed otherwise.

Within 28 days of receipt of your application a meeting will be arranged between you, your line manager and your HR Business Partner. This meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss your request in depth and to explore how best it might be accommodated. It will also provide an opportunity to consider other alternative arrangements should there be problems accommodating your desired work pattern. Should you wish, you may bring a colleague with you to this meeting.

Within 14 days of the meeting, we will confirm in writing whether or not your request has been agreed. If it has, a start date will be agreed with you and you will be issued with revised Terms and Conditions. If the application cannot be accepted you will be provided with clear business grounds as to why not. If we have been unable to reach a decision at this point you will be notified accordingly.

 

Appeals

If you feel that the reason for refusing your request is unjustified, you may appeal in writing. This must be done within 14 days of the notification of the refusal. The appeal should state the main reasons why you consider the decision to be unjustified. The appeal should be submitted to the HR Director.

The appeal will be heard by two people who will be senior employees of the FSA one of whom will normally be the Director of your division. They will not have been involved in the meeting previously conducted. A member of the HR Division will also be present to take notes and, where appropriate, give procedural guidance. The appeal will normally be held within 10 working days of receiving your written reasons for appeal.

You will normally be given at least 3 working days’ notice of the hearing.

The outcome of the appeal will be communicated to you in writing as soon as possible after the appeal has been held.

Right to be accompanied
You may be accompanied at meetings by a fellow employee of your choice, who may be a friend, colleague or Staff Consultative Committee representative; please note that the fellow employee should not be a member of the HR Division.  You may confer with your companion during the course of the meeting, and he/she may address the hearing but may not answer questions on your behalf.

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