Flexible Working Requests

Examples of flexible working might include:

• Reducing your hours

• Changing your working times

• Having flexibility in your working times

• Doing your hours over fewer days

• Working from home or remotely

• Sharing your job with someone else

Flexible working could be for:

• All the working day

• Specific days or shifts

• Specific weeks

• A limited time

Yes, the statutory right to reqeust flexible working applies from the first day of your employment with us. You can only make 2 requests in any 12-month period, however this doesn't mean we won't consider other requests on an informal basis if necessary.

No, every employee has the right to request flexible working and every application will be treated with equal consideration.

Please submit your request in writing to your manager for consideration.

If we're happy to agree, we'll write to you straight away to confirm. However, it's likely we'll have questions, so you'll normally be invited to a meeting within 28 days of us receiving your request. Whilst there's no statutory right to be accompanied, if you feel you need someone with you, you may be accompanied by a colleague or trade union rep, or by someone who understands/supports you with your illness, at this meeting.

At the meeting we'll discus your request and get a better idea of what changes you're looking for and how this will benefit you and the business.

We'll consider everything and write to you with our decision as soon as we can, it'll be no later than 14 days after the meeting.

We could grant your request in full, in part or refuse and we might propose a modified version of your request, grant the request on a temporary basis or ask for a trial period.

If your request is agreed, we'll send you a confirmation letter, including details of your new working arrangement, and we'll ask you to sign your agreement.

We'll attempt to rearrange with you, but if you fail to attend the rearranged meeting as well (without good reason), we'll consider your request withdrawn.

We'll need to take into account a number of things, such as:

• costs associated

• effects on the rest of the team

• the need for supervision

• existing structure of the salon or department

• availability of other staff or recruitment prospects

• details of tasks specific to your role

• workload of your role

• whether your request is for a reasonable adjustment related to a disability

• health and safety issues

You don't have an automatic right to change your working pattern, as we may not always be able to accommodate it. However, we'll try to work with you to find a possible solution that suits everyone. 

Every request is considered on an individual basis using the information we have available at the time. Just because we say yes to one request, doesn't mean we'll say yes to every similar request.

We have to provide a business reason for refusing your request, which would fall under one or more of:

• the burden of additional costs is unacceptable

• we're unable to reorganise your work among the existing team

• we're unable to recruit

• the change would have a detrimental impact on quality of services

• the change would have a detrimental effect on our ability to meet customer demand

• the change would have a detrimental impact on your performance, the team's performance or the performance of the business as a whole

• there's insufficient work during the periods you are proposing to work

• your request doesn't fit in with proposed business changes or reorganisations we're planning

If we do decline your request, we'll explain why and if you aren't happy with our decision, you can appeal - we'll write to you with details. You'll then be invited to an appeal meeting, at which you can be accompanied by a colleague or trade union rep.

If there's uncertainty about if your request will be practicable, we might agree a trial period. If so, we'll allow sufficient time for you and your manager to implement and become accustomed to your new working practices before we take any decision on the viability of a new arrangement.

Yes, where we agree your request as a permanent change, we'll need to make a variation to your contract - we'll do this in writing and ask you to sign your agreement.

If we arrange a trial period, we'll provide details of the arrangements and make it clear that it's a temporary variation to your contract. If the trial period doesn't work out, you'll revert back to your previous contract.