Flexible Working Frequently Asked Questions

Flexible working allows you to adjust your working hours, patterns, or location to balance work and personal commitments.  This may include changes to the number of hours worked, the days worked, the start and finish times, compressed hours (working longer hours over fewer days), or remote working arrangements. 

All employees, regardless of contract type or duration, have the statutory right to request flexible working from day one of employment. However, employees employed on an irregular casual basis (e.g., academic visitors or hourly-paid staff) are not eligible to submit a formal flexible working request. 

You are allowed to make up to two formal flexible working requests within a 12-month period. You must wait until the previous request process is fully completed before submitting another. 

No. While you have the right to request flexible working, it is not guaranteed. The university will consider your request carefully and will only approve it if it meets the necessary criteria. 

Many positions allow a degree of flexibility without a formal request, such as occasionally adjusting your start and finish times or working from home by informal agreement. If you wish to make a formal flexible working request, you must complete the Flexible Working Application Form and submit it to your line manager or equivalent. Your line manager will then arrange a consultation meeting to discuss your request. 

The university will notify you of its decision in writing within 14 days after the consultation meeting. The entire process should be completed within two months of receiving your request. 

If your request is approved, the university will confirm the permanent change to your employment contract. This may include adjustments to your working hours, days, or remote working arrangements. 

No, once your flexible working request is approved and incorporated into your contract, it may constitute a permanent change to your working arrangement. There is no automatic right to return to the previous arrangement. 

If your request is denied, your line manager will provide written confirmation of the reasons for the decision. If you then wish to appeal, you have the right to appeal the decision through the appeal stage of the grievance procedure. If your appeal is successful, the university will confirm the change in your employment contract.  If your appeal is unsuccessful, then your working pattern will remain as is. 

A flexible working request may be rejected for valid business reasons, and these are: 

• Burden of additional costs

• Impact on customer demand or quality of service

• Inability to reorganize work among existing staff

• Difficulty in recruiting additional staff

• Detrimental impact on performance or quality

• Insufficient work for the proposed working period

• Planned structural changes in the organisation 

Any changes to your working hours or pattern may affect your annual leave entitlement. The Annual Leave Calculator can help you understand your updated entitlement based on your new working arrangements.https://www.lboro.ac.uk/services/hr/topics/annual-leave/ 

Yes, part-time employees can request to change their hours, including a request to work fulltime. Any such request will be carefully considered.