Flexible Working Policy
1. Statement of Policy
Dyfed-Powys Police positively embrace flexible working and recognises that officers and staff may wish to achieve a balance between their working life and their family and home life.
By offering flexible working arrangements, Dyfed-Powys Police can support officers and staff to manage their working life and other personal priorities, e.g. caring responsibilities, health and wellbeing, life-long learning, charity work and other interests.
Dyfed-Powys Police is committed to agreeing any flexible working arrangements, provided that the needs and objectives of both the force and the individual can be met. The force encourages open and honest discussions about flexible working arrangements, and managers have an important role in creating a positive culture around flexible working.
Applies (but not limited) to: All categories of Dyfed-Powys Police officers and staff, whether full-time, part-time, permanent, fixed term, temporary (including agency staff, associates and contractors), seconded staff and volunteers. Police Officers, staff and volunteers accessing and using Force assets and property must have due regard to the contents of this policy.
2. Policy Scope
This policy applies to police officers and police staff.
This policy does not form part of the police staff terms and conditions of employment and may be subject to change at the discretion of the Chief Officers in Dyfed-Powys Police.
Police Officers are not employees but are servants of the Crown, and their terms and conditions are determined by police specific regulations from the Home Office.
Police officers may apply for flexible working at any time, however there are certain exceptions e.g. during an officer’s probationary period or initial training, where a strict training timetable must be adhered to, and flexible working arrangements are not permitted.
Police staff have a statutory right to request flexible working from the first day of employment with Dyfed-Powys Police and are entitled to submit two requests in a 12-month period.
Each request for flexible working will be considered in line with operational requirements and individual needs. Agreeing to one request will not set a precedent or create the right for another individual to be granted a similar change to their working pattern.
Dyfed-Powys Police is under no statutory obligation to grant a request to work flexibly if it cannot be accommodated for the business reasons which are set out in the Employment Rights Act 1996 and detailed within the associated procedure document.
Managers are required to make a decision on a request for flexible working, including any appeal within a maximum of 2 months from receipt of the application.
3. Powers and Policy/Legal Requirements
This policy complies with the following external legislation and internal policies and guidance.
- The Employment Rights Act 2025
- The Employment Rights Act 1996 (as amended) and regulations.
- Part Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000 (amendment) Regulations 2002
- The Flexible Working Regulations 2002 (as amended0
- The Equality Act 2010
- The Police Regulations 2003
- The Working Time Regulations 1998
- The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) Code of Practice
- The Police Staff Pay & Conditions of Services Handbook dated November 2021
- Dyfed-Powys Police Flexible Working procedure document
- Dyfed-Powys Police Flexitime (applicable to staff only*) policy and procedure
- Dyfed-Powys Police Smarter Working policy and procedure.
4. Options and Contingencies
Types of Flexible Working
Flexible Working is a type of working arrangement that gives officers and staff some degree of flexibility on how long, where and when they work.
There are examples of the types of flexible working set out within the associated procedure document, in Appendix A, and include, but are not limited to:
- Part-time working – working less than full-time hours e.g. 40 hrs a week for officers or 37 hours a week for staff.
- Smarter/Agile working – working from anywhere than the usual workplace (depending on their role status e.g. Agile, Fixed etc, as outlined in the Smarter Working policy*).
- Flexitime – individual chooses when to start and end work (within agreed limits and dependant on their role e.g. not a shift worker, as outlined in the Flexitime Scheme policy*).
- Job sharing – two people doing one job and splitting the hours, e.g. 18.5 hrs each (if the post is 37 hrs).
- Compressed hours – working full-time hours e.g. either 40 or 37 hrs but over fewer days – 9 hours over 4 days.
*The Flexitime Scheme and the Smarter Working scheme are separate policies and procedures, the details of which can be found on DPPi2, under “Policies and Procedures”.
In some instances, the line managers may consider agreeing to a flexible working request on a temporary or trial basis, this will ensure that the new working pattern meets the needs of the organisation and the individual.
Responsibilities
Line Managers are responsible for considering each flexible working application on its own merits, thoroughly and fairly and within a reasonable time scale (application must be considered within 2 months upon receipt, to include an appeal).
Officers and staff are responsible for submitting an application at least 3 months before they wish it to take effect. Where there are unexpected circumstances, for example due to a medical issue or a change in personal circumstances, line managers have the discretion to agree temporary changes to an individual’s hours or pattern of work.
Officers and staff are responsible for providing managers with information about the desired working pattern and thinking through any potential pitfalls in their proposal and suggesting ways in which these might be overcome.
Both the line manager and individual are responsible for informally discussing the application before a formal application is submitted on the e-form system. Ideally the manager and individual should meet to discuss the application and explore exactly what changes are requested and how these might be accommodated.
It is the responsibility of line managers to consider applications with the aim of accommodating requests where possible with no detriment to operational efficiency. In many cases and with flexibility on both sides, a flexible working arrangement can be agreed which may actually enhance delivery.
If a member of staff seeks a reasonable adjustment for their disability through a request for flexible working, the force must consider this in line with its legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010.
Terms and Conditions
Police staff are employed under a contract of employment to perform a particular job, any change to the number of hours worked is a permanent change to their contract and staff have no right to return to full time hours. However, where mutually agreed, a temporary change to the number of hours worked can be negotiated with managers.
The HR Admin team will formally in writing notify individuals of the following: -
- If there is a change in the hours worked and/or the allowances. (allowances only applicable to police staff).
- If there is a change in the annual leave entitlement
- If an application has been declined by management.
Individuals should not start their new working pattern until they receive formal written notification from the HR Admin team.
If an individual wishes to appeal a decision to decline their flexible working application, they have 14 days from receipt of the formal notification to do so. Further details are set out in procedure document.
Rates of Pay
Officers and staff who work flexibly with a reduction in their weekly hours, will have their pay pro-rata to the number of hours worked.
Pension Contributions
Officers and staff considering a reduction in working hours should seek advice on the pension implications before submitting a flexible working application.
Shift & Weekend Working Allowances (applicable to Police Staff only)
Where a flexible working application is submitted and the proposed working pattern incurs additional costs to the force, e.g an increase in the hours worked or the allowances, line managers are required to submit a vacancy request form (VRF) to the panel for consideration. The HR Officers will be able to provide advice on this process.
The proposed new working pattern cannot start until approval by the panel has been granted.
If the new working pattern is approved, staff will receive the appropriate allowances as outlined in the Police Staff Pay and Conditions of Service Handbook, November 2021 version.
Appeals Process
Officers and staff have the right to appeal the decision to decline an application for flexible working, and details of how this can be done can be found within the associated procedure document.
Any appeal should be submitted to the Head of HR Service Delivery, within 14 days of receiving formal notification from the HR Admin team.
The Code of Ethics principles are relevant to this policy and the associated procedure document, specifically: -
- Courage
- Respect and Empathy
- Public Service
This policy aims to support the delivery of Our Plan and Our Culture Pledge.
5. Take action and review
This policy will be reviewed on a triennial basis, taking into account its effectiveness, changes to legislations, national guidance and any challenges to the policy.
The review will be undertaken by the People & Organisation development department and any amendments to the policy or procedure will be overseen and approved by the Joint Negotiating and Consultative Committee.
CODE OF ETHICS CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Code of Ethics and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Code and the principles underpinning it.
HUMAN RIGHTS ACT CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Human Rights Act and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Act and the principles underpinning it.
EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Section 4 of the Equality Act 2010 sets out the protected characteristics that qualify for protection under the Act as follows: Age; Disability; Gender Reassignment; Marriage and Civil Partnership; Pregnancy and Maternity; Race; Religion or Belief; Sex; Sexual Orientation.
The public sector equality duty places a proactive legal requirement on public bodies to have regard, in the exercise of their functions, to the need to:
- eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and any other conduct that is unlawful under the Act;
- advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it;
- foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.
The equality duty applies to all protected characteristics with the exception of Marriage and Civil Partnership, to which only the duty to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination applies.
Carrying out an equality impact assessment involves systematically assessing the likely or actual effects of policies on people in respect of all the protected characteristics set out above. An equality impact assessment should be carried out on any policy that is relevant to the public sector equality duty.
EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT COMPLETED: June 2026