Employment law

[tigwig]

My friend has just split up with her husband and they no longer live together. They have a 4 year old child and she used to work until late in the evening. Now she cannot get childcare until 11.30pm and wants to change her hours to go on day shifts when she has someone to look after her child.
Her work are being very stroppy over it and have said she can't do that. But how is she expected to find childcare until that time on a night as dad can't or won't help out anymore. Is there any law which says she has the right to work days now?

[Gok Wan]

No - she has the right to request the change in hours and the employer is obligated to consider her request. However, if they can give a valid business reason why they can't accommodate her request then they don't have to agree to it.

[buildersmate]

Correct in all respects.

[tigwig]

They are trying to wriggle out of it but what possible reason could they give? It is a big bank with a very well known call centre by the way that is open 24/7. She has been off sick due to an operation for the last few months so they are managing to cover her at the moment.
She is just worried they will come up with some excuse to get out of it.

[Skyline D]

I think you are rather missing the point. They don't HAVE to come up with an excuse to get out of it, They can just say "no". One would hope such a major employer would look after their staff and do their best to accommodate in such a situaton but they don't have to. She's employed to do a job at certain times and it's not directly their problem if her personal circumstances mean she can no longer do the job.