Formal Flexible Working Requests

All employees have the right to make a formal flexible working request, under the Flexible Working legislation. This covers your right to request a particular work pattern and is a permanent change to your contract. You can make up to two requests in a 12-month period.

If you are eligible and you wish to make a formal flexible working request, you must use the Flexible Working Application form and submit this to a director. Your application will set out the requested changes to your work pattern and the date when you would like them to come into effect. Changes to your working pattern could be, for example, a change to your hours, working from home, staggered hours, flexitime or time off in lieu. The application must be dated and state whether or not you have made a previous application to the Company for flexible working and, if so, specify when this was and give further details. 

Where possible you should also set out the reasons behind your request for flexible working. If the application is made via email or by post it will be taken to have been made on the date we receive it.

All flexible working requests will be considered in a reasonable manner and timescale. We have 2 months from the point of receiving your request to consider it, give you an outcome and hear any appeal, therefore please bear this in mind when making a request (particularly if you are making one as part of plans to return to work after a period of statutory leave such as Maternity or Shared Parental Leave). Requests for flexible working will be considered in the order they are received and each case will be considered on its own merits. Just because a flexible working request has been granted for another member of the team does not automatically mean that others of a similar nature will also be approved.

As soon as possible after receiving your application, One Degree North will consult with you as part of a discussion or notify you in writing of agreement to the variation. A director will invite you to a meeting to discuss your proposal with you in private and explore the practicalities of your desired working pattern and how this might best be accommodated; alternatively, other working patterns and options may be discussed with you as part of the consultation. You will be entitled to bring a work colleague to this meeting and they will be able to have time off work to accompany you.

Following this meeting we will write to you to either:

• Agree a new work pattern and start date or
• Provide clear business grounds as to why the application cannot be accepted and the reasons why they apply in your circumstances.

You can withdraw your application at any time before the meeting; if you do, please make sure this is confirmed to us in writing. Also, if you fail to attend the flexible working meeting, any rescheduled meetings or appeal meetings, we may decide that you have chosen to withdraw your application.  

If your flexible working application is accepted, the change to your work pattern will become permanent, unless otherwise agreed, and we will confirm these changes, including details of any trial period, to you in writing. You can submit a maximum of two requests in a 12 month period.

In some cases, for example, when we are unsure of whether the proposed flexible working pattern will work in practice, we may agree to a temporary or trial period. In this situation we will agree to extend the date we must make a final decision on your flexible working request, until the end of the trial period. At this stage the flexible working pattern will be reviewed and a decision as to whether to agree or to decline the proposed change will be made.

If your change in work pattern means a change in remuneration this will be discussed in full with you before any changes are made to your terms and conditions of employment.

Flexible working requests will be considered objectively around business needs and can only be refused for the following reasons:

• Extra costs which will damage the business.
• The work can’t be reorganised among other staff.
• People can’t be recruited to do the work.
• Flexible working will affect quality.
• Flexible working will affect performance.
• The business won’t be able to meet customer demand.
• There is a lack of work to do during the proposed working times.
• The business is planning changes to the workforce.

Should your request for a change in your work pattern be refused then you will have the opportunity to discuss this and to appeal the decision as explained below.

Ideally you should be notified of our final decision, including the outcome of any appeal where necessary, within 2 months of your application unless otherwise agreed.