FLEXIBLE WORKING
We want to strike a balance between ensuring a good service to British Library
customers and ensuring our people have the chance to manage their work and home
commitments. This PDF lays out some of the main ways we achieve this.
Special leave
In certain exceptional circumstances, for example urgent domestic crises or bereavement,
we allow discretionary special leave for a short period. This can be with or without pay.
Informal one-off changes to working hours
Our managers deal sympathetically with reasonable requests for working time flexibilities in
special circumstances, whilst, of course, taking into account the needs of the rest of the
team and the quality of the service. This applies whether or not you officially work Flexible
Working Hours.
Flexible Working Hours Scheme
Under our Flexible Working Hours Scheme, our grades B to E may work their required
hours flexibly over the week, as long as they observe our “core” attendance times.
Flexible workers can vary their working patterns to meet their own personal lives and work
demands – for example, starting or finishing work early, or taking a long or short lunch
break. They can also accrue credit hours, and take up to two days “credit leave” in any one
accounting period of four weeks. Conversely, flexible workers can carry forward a working
time deficit of up to 1.5 days in a four week period. Of course, everyone works with their
manager to ensure that service delivery is given priority when planning working hours.
Job share
If our people want to work on a job share basis, they can, providing it’s practical for the
role in question on an operational level. Jobs are divided in a number of ways to suit the
circumstances of the job-sharers and their managers. Our job sharers receive all the same
benefits as full-time staff.
Working compressed hours
It’s sometimes possible for our people to work their contracted hours over fewer working
days, as long as this doesn’t interfere with the operation of our services. Full-time staff can,
for example, work 36 hours over four long days, rather than working five average
length days.
Part-time working
We’re happy to extend opportunities for part-
time working to our people, including job
sharing at all levels. Our part-time staff
receive
the same benefits as full-time staff.
Paid benefits (e.g. Special Leave with pay)
are provided on a pro-rata basis to our part-
time employees.
Career break
Our people can apply for a career break and
take time away from work, unpaid, to deal
with domestic responsibilities such as the care
of young children or elderly relatives.