Flexible Working Policy 

  

Company Name: Teachers Together Ltd (“the Company”) 

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Use: Internal Policy

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Model Policy No.  FW1

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Model Policy Name: Flexible Working Policy

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Date: February 2025

 

Version: 1.0

 

 

1. Overview

 

This flexible working policy gives eligible employees an opportunity to request a change to their working pattern.

 

We will deal with flexible working requests in a reasonable manner and within a reasonable time. In any event the time between making a request and notifying you of a final decision (including the outcome of any appeal) will be less than three months unless we have agreed a longer period with you.

 

This policy does not form part of any employee’s contract of employment and we may amend it at any time.

 

2. Eligibility  

 

To be eligible to make a flexible working request, you: 

• must be an employee (not an agency-worker, unless an employed agency-worker returning from parental leave);

• can request flexible working from the first day of employment;

• not currently pending a current process or appeal; and

• not have made more than 2 flexible working requests during the last 12 months (even if you withdrew a request).

 

3. What is a flexible working request?  

 

A flexible working request under this policy means a request to do any or all of the following:

• to reduce or vary your working hours;

• to reduce or vary the days you work;

• to work from a different location (hybrid working, for example working from home).

 

 

4. Making a flexible working request  

 

Your flexible working request should be submitted to us in writing. It should:

• state that it is a flexible working request;

• explain the change being requested and propose a start date; and

• state whether you have made any previous flexible working requests in the last 12 months.

  

5. Meeting 

 

We will arrange a meeting at a convenient time and place to discuss your request. You may be accompanied at the meeting by a colleague of your choice. They will be entitled to speak and confer privately with you, but may not answer questions on your behalf.

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We may decide to grant your request in full without a meeting, in which case we will write to you with our decision.

 

6. Decision  

 

We will inform you in writing of our decision as soon as possible after the meeting, though we may take up to 2 months.

 

If your request is accepted, we will write to you with details of the new working arrangements and the date on which they will commence. You will be asked to sign and return a copy of the letter.

 

If we cannot immediately accept your request we may require you to undertake a trial period before reaching a final decision on your request.

 

Unless otherwise agreed, changes to your terms of employment will be permanent.

 

We may reject your request for one or more of the following business reasons:

• the burden of additional costs;

• detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand;

• inability to reorganise work among existing staff;

• inability to recruit additional staff;

• detrimental impact on quality;

• detrimental impact on performance;

• insufficiency of work during the periods that you propose to work; or

• planned changes.

 

If we are unable to agree to your request, we will to tell you which of those reasons applies in your case. We will follow this up in writing and also set out the appeal procedure.

 

 

7. Appeal

 

You may appeal in writing within 14 days of receiving our written decision.  

 

Your appeal must be dated and must set out the grounds on which you are appealing.

 

We will hold a meeting with you to discuss your appeal. You may bring a colleague to the meeting.

 

We will tell you in writing of our final decision as soon as possible after the appeal meeting, including reasons. There is no further right of appeal.