Flexible working after maternity leave

We recently went through a merger and the team is very different from the previous one. There's only one part-time person in the marketing team (employed part-time before the merger). The new company hasn't made their position clear on part-time requests.

Should I start discussing it with my line manager now? Or wait until nearer the time?

Until last year, any legal protection for women wanting to return to work part-time came under sex discrimination. Essentially, because more women than men are primary child carers, it's more likely that a requirement to work full-time will impact adversely on women. A blanket refusal to consider flexible working could constitute indirect sex discrimination.

Courtesy of new legislation covering flexible working requests, you now have the right to ask your employer for changes to your working conditions (i.e. working fewer hours. job-sharing or working from home). Your employer must consider your request seriously and must give a valid reason for refusing (for example, burden of additional costs, or inability to reorganise work among existing staff  - realistically, there are quite a few loopholes).

Statutory guidelines cover the application process. You need to submit a written request setting out the changes you'd like and when you want the revised working arrangements to start.

The most tricky part here is the requirement to comment on the effect the proposed changes will have on your employer's business. This is where careful planning and detective work will give you big head start. You work in marketing - a field where traditionally, atypical working patterns have proved effective. Use that to your advantage and, wherever possible, cite statistics on the benefits of flexible work. Consider having a chat with colleagues to sound out how they'd feel about your ideas before you make a formal written proposal - if you can get their support, that's half the battle won.

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