Compressed Working

What’s it for?

Formerly known as Compressed Hours, this allows you to undertake the normal work output for your role, but over a different timeframe, to allow flexibility for travel or other domestic demands during the week. Arrangements can also be made if you work shifts.

What do I get?

Compressed Working means working full-time hours in a shorter timeframe, either working the normal number of agreed hours over a reduced number of days or doing some longer days to allow a shorter day in the week.

Quite often, this can allow those with a long weekend commute to start late on a Monday and finish early on a Friday to leave a full weekend. Another variation might be a reduced number of hours in one week, followed by an increase in the next to make up the difference. These agreements should not lead to an overall reduction in hours worked.

There is no ‘standard’ working week or shift pattern for the Armed Forces so the baseline will be the working routine for your organisation.

Other things to consider

The MOD still has a duty to make sure that you are not working a longer day than can be done safely or are not at risk if working a longer day means working alone. This could mean that there are limits as to how far you can vary or compress your hours.

Compressed Working does not impact your annual leave allowance. It is not possible to work a compressed pattern when on leave. Annual leave must be taken for each working day leave is required, in line with the working pattern of your unit. For example, if you serve in a unit that usually works Monday to Friday but you work longer days on Monday to Thursday and do not usually work on Friday, 5 days leave, not 4, will need to be used to take leave from Monday to Friday.

All alternative working arrangements should be reviewed by your Line Manager on a regular basis (at least every 12 months, but earlier if necessary).

Either party can give notice to cancel, giving 28 days’ notice if possible.

How do I apply for this?

Speak to your Line Manger or Unit HR/Personnel Office and then apply on JPA. The Absences (flexible working) user guide (which can be found at JPA user guides) tells you how to do this.