Time off work for study

[shelbyc]

Hi I had a place on a photography course to do a degree. One of the classes was a Thursday afternoon from 1pm until 8pm. I have flexi time and was wondering if there was some way of flexi working my hours for off one afternoon per week for the three year course. It was a possible half day or maybe reducing hours but the reaction was terrible. I felt as though I shouldn't have asked at all. I felt snapped at/ jumped down my throat for just asking. On the web at work there are all these ways of working your hours - work life balance etc and as soon as I ask I am snapped at and over reacted to enough so I have give up the place on the course. Others seem to change there working pattern without a fuss but when I ask I get no support at all. I didn't know if I would get on the course or when the classes would be until interview. I am sure it was thought to be a ten week taster
nightclass. I feel like I have been given the cold shoulder a bit for just asking. They are not interested when I talk and frightened to speak in case I get snapped at. I came home for a food delivery yesterday and it was classed as a good excuse but it is the truth. I am tired of this treatment from mngr/ collegues. They might think I was cheeky in asking for time to do a degree but why should it bother them so much that I want to do better? I am doing open university instead and not going to tell them anything about it. They would want to be cheeky about that too so I won't want to do it.

[bednobs]

seriously, you shouldn't be asking us, you should be looking at your flexi working policy, seeing if it applies to you, or if you have to ask for it and going from there. My work has a Flexible working" policy, whereby you can "ask" to work more flexibly, but it doesn't mean they say yes. My husband has flexi working whereby as long as you do your hours, no-one cares how you do them (and all staff, except sercurity and essential services gets this)

[kburnage]

Bednobs is right. Locate the flexible hours policy for HR, and, if required apply for it using the process outlined in the policy. Anyone can ask, but if the business cannot support it, or they do not feel that it would benefit the business, they do not have to give it to you. Then if you still feel that you still being treated unfairly, put in a grievance. HR policies are there to protect you and then business, use them.

[joko]

perhaps put the request in writing in a formal letter?

that way you cannot be ignored or snapped at and the mater has to be addressed properly

explain fully what you want and how you intend to ensure your work does not suffer and come up with a timetable for them that shows them you will be avle to continue your duties with them

[boxtops]

It depends very much on your employer. If people at work are on courses which are relevant to their job, they sometimes get time off for study, but more often than not they do it in their own time. Perhaps you picked a bad time for the person you asked.

[Whoever]

If the course you want to study has no relevance to your employment it's possibly not too surprising that your employers are not anxious to give you the flexibility you want. After all, they're being asked to accommodate your future career, when you will take off and leave them. If you company has a formal HR department it would probably have been better to have approached them first informally and find out what the company policy is on further education and training. I'd be tempted just to do it in your own time and keep your intentions to yourself.