Flexible working policy

Making request for flexible working

6.1 All requests must be made by submitting the Flexible Working Request Form found in Appendix 2. This should be submitted to the employee’s line manager in the first instance.

6.2 Any request made under this policy must include:

• the date of the request
• the changes that the employee is seeking to their terms and conditions of employment
• the date on which the employee would like the change to come into effect
• a statement that this is a statutory request
• if and when the employee has made a previous application for flexible working
• if the employee has made a previous request, when they made that application.

6.3 If the Flexible Working Request does not contain all the required information, is incomplete, or contains errors, it will not be automatically rejected, however the employee will be asked and supported to resubmit it with the necessary additional information.

Timescales

6.4 Once the employee submits their Flexible Working Request, it will be dealt with as soon as possible and a decision communicated in writing without unreasonable delay.

6.5 All requests must be wholly dealt with within two months from receipt of the request to notification of any appeal decision.

6.6 The timescales within this policy may be extended where this is mutually agreed.

6.7 Whilst Flexible Retirement requests will be dealt with under this policy, please note that it can take up to 3 months from notification for pension payments to be set up and processed.

Consultation meeting

6.8 The line manager will arrange a Consultation Meeting to discuss the Flexible Working Request to be held without unreasonable delay, and taking into account the statutory two-month period for deciding requests, including any appeal (notwithstanding section 6.6). Refer to the Work-life Balance webpages for further guidance for managers and employees. Following this meeting the line manager may wish to gain advice from the people manager prior to reaching a decision.

6.9 The employee may, if they wish, ask a work colleague or a trade union official to attend the meeting with them. 

6.10 The Consultation Meeting is an opportunity to ensure that all relevant information is understood before a decision is made. This may include, for example, the potential benefits or other impacts of accepting or rejecting the request, any practical considerations involved in implementing the request and any alternative flexible working options that may be available and suitable for the employee and the University. 

6.11 At the Consultation Meeting, we urge the employee to be as open as possible about their needs so that we are able to engage in a collaborative discussion about what is feasible.

Considering the request 

6.12 After the meeting and within the designated timescales, the line manager will consider the proposed flexible working arrangements carefully, weighing up:

• the potential benefits to both the employee and the University
• any adverse impact of implementing the changes.

6.13 Each request will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Agreeing to one request will not set a precedent or create the right for another employee to be granted a similar change to their working arrangements.

Notification of the decision

6.14 The line manager will inform the employee in writing of their decision (in accordance with sections 6.15 to 6.20 below), along with any additional information which is reasonable to help explain the decision. This must be communicated without unreasonable delay, and taking into account the statutory two-month period for deciding requests, including any appeal (notwithstanding section 6.6).

Where the request is granted

6.15 The request may be granted in full or in part. For example:

• the University may propose a modified version of the request
• the request may be granted on a temporary basis
• the employee may be asked to try the flexible working arrangement for a trial period.

6.16 Where the request is granted in full or in part, the line manager will meet with the employee to discuss how and when the changes might be implemented.

6.17 Where any of the request is not granted, the line manager must inform the employee of the reason for this, in line with the reasons outlined in 6.19.

6.18 Any changes to the employee’s terms and conditions of employment, whether permanent or temporary, will be put in writing and sent to them as an amendment to their contract of employment.

Reasons for rejecting a request

6.19 While the University is committed to supporting and encouraging flexible working patterns, it is necessary to carefully consider and assess the effect of the requested change for both the University and the employee. In some cases, it may not be possible for a request to be accommodated because of the following reasons, as laid out in the Flexible Working Act 2024:

• the burden of additional costs
• an inability to reorganise work among existing staff
• an inability to recruit additional staff
• a detrimental impact on quality
• a detrimental impact on performance
• a detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand
• insufficient work for the periods the employee proposes to work
• a planned structural change to the business.

6.20 The University will not reject the request for any other reason.

The right to appeal

6.21 Employees have the right to appeal if their request for flexible working is rejected or only agreed in part.

6.22 The appeal should be sent to the line manager who made the decision to reject, or only agree in part, the request for flexible working. This appeal should be in writing, and also sent to the relevant people manager within seven days of receiving the University’s decision. 

6.23 The letter must set out the grounds on which the employee is appealing. An Appeal Meeting will be held, where possible with the line manager's manager, or alternatively a delegated other of the same grade who did not make the original decision. This must be held without unreasonable delay and taking into account the statutory two-month period for deciding requests, including any appeal (notwithstanding section 6.6).

6.24 The employee may, if they wish, ask a fellow worker or a trade union official to attend the Appeal Meeting with them.

6.25 Following the Appeal Meeting, the relevant manager will inform the employee in writing of the outcome, without delay and within the statutory two-month period for deciding requests (notwithstanding section 6.6). The outcome of the appeal is final.

Treating the application as withdrawn

6.26 If the employee fails to attend, without good reason, both a first and a second Consultation Meeting to discuss the request, or both a first and a second meeting to discuss the appeal, the University will treat the request as withdrawn.

6.27 A withdrawn request will count toward the total number of requests within a 12 month period.