flexible working request - no response yet - 2months limit almost up

Daisyduck54

Hi,

Could I please ask for some advice regarding my flexible working request I officially submitted. Sorry for this being such a long post

I've worked in my current place for 15+years in a very large organisation, though with recent restructures the main base has now changed to a single building instead of several, with desk spaces that need to be booked, where the extra problem is also there is not enough parking to cover the whole building. This results in a chaotic car park to try and get people to move the cars, the building is on secure grounds so the nearest pay and display car parks for the public are over 0.5-1mile away

A couple of month before covid, I changed my job role within the organisation and, like many, I started home working but recently they are mandating 2 days a week in the office to book. I am a carer for my disabled daughter whos condition has significantly deteriorated over the past several years, and while my partner also helps with this, she has her own health issues. I also now more recently have my own hand and back issues and cannot drive, so…all of this has a knock on effect on eg having to walk a long distance from a public car park if unable to get anywhere. I also need to carry extra equipment back and forth to support my back and hands etc, but my main issue is the anxiety that I have for my daughter as at times, I urgently need to return home or get to the school asap and worry on the impact on getting half a dozen cars to move etc before I can even leave.

My line managers are great, they dont mind where I work and trust me to do the job, however there is someone higher in the chain now that we are all crammed into one building that is trying to enforce it rigidly, so this left me with no choice but to submit an official flexible working request. My job is 99.5% done from a PC anywhere....in 4 years there has been 2 days where I've needed to go to site. I requested basically to be excluded from the mandatory office requirement, however to be still able to come in on a voluntary basis, based on my carers and own health needs, and of course endevour to get in if there is a specific need for eg a project that needs to be face to face

Alongside this our H&S team referred me to their 3rd party company who also provided a couple of their own documents that effectively support my request, 1 based on my MSK needs, and other based on having severe anxiety and depression

So anyway, I submitted the request. In just over a week it has been 2 months since the date I officially submitted it, but heard nothing since the official confirmation from my line manager as he passed it to those above. I did notice the request form and guidance hadn't been updated to the new 24/25 rules, but know legally they are supposed to have this completed within 2 months but this should also include appeal time. I'm getting really anxious as time is running out, and of course want to remind them, but without rocking the boat at the same time.

Any recommendations on what I should do/say if they actually surpass the legal deadline? I tried searching, but can't see much on if they miss deadlines other than you can potentially try and take to tribunals. My work policy does seem to offer appeals that should be done "within 14 days of receiving the outcome" - however this time is supposed to be factored into the 2 week limit, and as each day goes by it increases my anxiety on it
Thank you and sorry for the waffle