Changing working hours: advice please...

[girli1111]

So, today I had a discussion with my line manager about reducing my hours from a 5 day week down to a three day week. I've asked for this to be two days off to join onto the weekend, so I would work 3 days, then have four days off in a block, as I think this will help with any medication side effects. Work appear to be being very understanding, I'm in a school, very busy environment and the Heads partner has RA so she has an understanding of my illness. The suggestion is that this is a temporary arrangement for now, which is fine by me. Is there anything from an employment 'rights' point of view that I need to be aware of? I don't want to disadvantage myself in the future by being too open about my difficulties if you know what I mean! I'm not anticipating any battle or problems, but I don't want to be too naive about this and potentially disadvantage myself in the future. Thanks

[Bon1]

I don't know enough to advise you about rights other than to advise you to speak to your union Rep about potential pitfalls before you agree to anything. I thought about going down to 4 days at the end of last year for similar reasons. However when I spoke to our new head about it she pointed out that they could not guarantee me going back up to 5days after a year. ( Money would be too tight to stay on 4 days indefinitely.) so if you want your 3 day week to be temporary do make sure that they can take you back up to full time when you are ready.

good luck with it

Bon

[LizzieR]

Hi,

It sounds like your work are being great- and it's fantastically lucky that you have a head with personal experience of it. In the end, mine seemed to think I was making it up, because some days I could do things and others I couldn't...I was a teacher and a SENCo. All was fine until I started needing adaptations.. You have every right to ask for what you need- downstairs room, speech to text technology for your computer etc. A touch pad for your office instead of a key that you can't turn... I tried to struggle on and went in however I was feeling. I taught for two years in a wheelchair in a school where the accessible toilet was down some stairs ( don't ask) . My advice would be: tell them enough to keep them up to date, but don't scare them with too many details! Talk to citizens advice about your rights- you have lots and there is often money for schools to meet your needs if you need it. If your school says they can't do something because it's too expensive, don't feel bad and struggle on like I did- point out it's the law andshouldn't cost them anything! Take time off if you need to- don't destroy your self for a job! If your union rep doesn't know much- they're often not trained much on this- don't accept it as truth.

Overall, remember you are not a burden to them- diversity and equal ops is law and morally right. You are an excellent example to the kids and for those who might have their own special needs.

Sorry for the rant- I had a very bad experience ( got promoted and outstanding one week, then attempt ed dismissal the week later when they realised I had a long term, and debilitating disease). Don't think this will happen to you by the sounds of things, but wish I'd done things differently... Good luck xx

[Hidden in reply to LizzieR]

I don't think schools have t pay for it anyway, there' Access to Work, government funding for them. I know this after snippy remark from colleague that schools had better things to spend their money on tha provision for me lol!

[LizzieR in reply to Hidden]

Yes! There is- make sure they know that. X

[helenlw7]

I agree with everything LizzieR said. I too was a teacher and worked for for 11 years with RA before I had to stop work. My head was quite supportive but didn’t know anyone with the disease so didn’t understand it. Make sure you take time off when you need it. One of the triggers for my RA flares was stress, not the day to day stress in our job, but the stress brought on by Ofsted.

[Hidden]

I know they can be variable but my union rep was fantastic, you can just see them for advice. She went through everything- reasonable allowances at work under the equalities act, seeing occupational health as on your side and sick pay and benefits if things got worse, so reassuring if you get a good one. I am still off at mo but it made me feel so much surer of my rights on return. The nras booklets on benefits, work and employers were really good too. Good luck: it is a recognised disability under th Equalities Act after all.