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Ask for flexible working with a request that's hard to refuse

You need different hours, days or working from home. Get a statutory request in Acas's template structure that answers your employer's worries before they raise them.

Updated 17 Oct 2026

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The prompt · ChatGPT

Help me ask for flexible working.

My role and hours now: [details]
The change I want: [e.g. 4 days, 8 to 4, 2 days at home]
When from: [date]
Why: [optional, e.g. childcare, caring, health]
How the work still gets done: [cover, tools, handovers]
Worries my manager might have: [e.g. cover on Fridays, meetings]

Ask me up to 3 short questions first if anything important is missing. Wait for my answers.

Then:
1. A statutory flexible working request letter: the change, the date, how it affects the business and how that could be handled.
2. Answers to the three worries my employer is most likely to raise.
3. An offer of a trial period, with how we'd review it.
4. Questions to ask if they say no.
5. Remind me that GOV.UK says employees can request flexible working from their first day in a job, and to check GOV.UK and Acas for how requests must be handled.

This is help with wording and preparation, not legal advice; point me to Acas (helpline 0300 123 1100, Mon–Fri 8am–6pm) or GOV.UK for my rights, and to Citizens Advice or a union if I need someone on my side. Only use what I've told you, leave blanks for anything I haven't given, and don't invent facts, dates or results. UK English.

Stay in this ChatGPT chat. Do not turn on apps or connectors, and do not use memory from another chat.

A short example

Fill the blanks, then paste. details: a short note you already have. e.g. 4 days, 8 to 4, 2 days at home: a short note you already have. Leave the rest of the prompt as written.

The prompt · Gemini

Help me ask for flexible working.

My role and hours now: [details]
The change I want: [e.g. 4 days, 8 to 4, 2 days at home]
When from: [date]
Why: [optional, e.g. childcare, caring, health]
How the work still gets done: [cover, tools, handovers]
Worries my manager might have: [e.g. cover on Fridays, meetings]

Ask me up to 3 short questions first if anything important is missing. Wait for my answers.

Then:
1. A statutory flexible working request letter: the change, the date, how it affects the business and how that could be handled.
2. Answers to the three worries my employer is most likely to raise.
3. An offer of a trial period, with how we'd review it.
4. Questions to ask if they say no.
5. Remind me that GOV.UK says employees can request flexible working from their first day in a job, and to check GOV.UK and Acas for how requests must be handled.

This is help with wording and preparation, not legal advice; point me to Acas (helpline 0300 123 1100, Mon–Fri 8am–6pm) or GOV.UK for my rights, and to Citizens Advice or a union if I need someone on my side. Only use what I've told you, leave blanks for anything I haven't given, and don't invent facts, dates or results. UK English.

Stay in this Gemini chat. Leave extensions off, including Gmail and Drive.

A short example

Fill the blanks, then paste. details: a short note you already have. e.g. 4 days, 8 to 4, 2 days at home: a short note you already have. Leave the rest of the prompt as written.

1

You type the change you want, why and how your work would still get done.

2

The assistant asks about your role, cover, and any trial period you could offer.

3

You get a request letter, answers to likely worries and a trial offer.

What happens

Use Gemini to ask for flexible working with a request that's hard to refuse

You need different hours, days or working from home. Get a statutory request in Acas's template structure that answers your employer's worries before they raise them.

Tools

Paste the prompt, fill the blanks, copy the draft.

  • Gemini — required. Drafts from the text you paste. Nothing is sent.

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