Employment - flexible working hours

Rose1000

Hi all,

I have an employment issue and I'm wondering does anyone have any advice or experienced similar before. I am currently on maternity leave and am due to go back to work in June.

I live in Co. dublin and work in the city centre so the commute is approx. 1.5 hours home in rush hour traffic. Because of this I have asked to adjust my working hours by 30 minutes. This request has been refused.

I have raised a formal grievance and it has still been refused. The problem is that for three days a week I have no one else who can collect my baby from his Crèche so I have no choice but to leave at 5pm.

Several other employees including 4 employees in my department work flexible hours. Of these 4, 2 are leaving early for parental duties, the other 2 are leaving to catch an earlier bus home as they live in co. dublin also. Does this sound right? Surely my employer is obliged to treat staff equally?

My fear is that when I go back to work in June that I will be fired for breach of contract for leaving at 5pm to collect my baby and then sued by my employer for the repayment of maternity leave I received from them. Has anyone had any experience of a similar situation with their employer? Or any advice on where I stand from a legal point of view?

Afroshack

What does your contract say?

Rose1000

Afroshack wrote: »

What does your contract say?

My contract says my contracted hours are 9am to 5:30pm, but as I said several employees who have the exact same contract as me have been permitted to adjust their hours.

MarkAnthony

Speak to a solicitor with employment law experience. I assume when you had the Baby (congrats) there was a midwife? Similarly this is a time to seek the services of a professional.

jimmycrackcorm

Be careful about following up on it. You may find that your employer withdraws the flexible conditions for the other employees if you push it.