Can employees swap out public holidays? And what should employers consider if someone asks to reduce their work hours? An HR expert answers some common HR questions.

In the first installment of this brand new video series, ASK AHRI, Kendel VanWorkum, HR Partner, AHRI Assist, responds to three common HR questions submitted by AHRI members – can team members swap out public holidays? Can a full-time employee reduce their hours to care for a family member? And what should you keep in mind when letting an employee work overseas?

VanWorkum offers best-practice advice and solutions for professionals who find themselves faced with these HR questions.

Watch this short 6-minute video to learn how to handle tricky requests from employees in the future:

Start seconds – VanWorkum introduces herself and talks about the intention behind this video series. 

Question: Are employees allowed to swap their public holidays out for days that are more significant to them?

0:30 seconds – VanWorkum outlines the legal and financial considerations of employees swapping a public holiday for another day that is more culturally significant to them. She highlights factors to consider before implementing a policy that substitutes a public holiday and encourages HR to be thorough with the company’s Award policies. 

“Under most Awards there are significant wage penalties attached to working public holidays, so it’s crucial to ensure your team member is not financially worse off due to the swap,” she says.

VanWorkum also breaks down some of the general principles around managing these requests, to mitigate any risk and impact to the business. 

Question: A full-time employee wants to reduce their hours to care for a family member. What should we do?

2 minutes 18 seconds – A flexible work arrangement is a great perk to offer employees, particularly those who are certified as a carer and wish to reduce their working hours.

“Having a robust policy and process in place can help to start transparent conversations about the suitability of the arrangement, the employee’s circumstances and a set time for review,” says VanWorkum.

“The procedure itself is quite straightforward and requires the employee to submit and explain the ‘why’ behind this request,” she adds.

“Having a robust policy and process in place can start transparent conversations about the suitability of the arrangement, the employee’s circumstances and a set time for review.” – Kendel VanWorkum, HR Partner, AHRI

VanWorkum says employers have 21 days to respond to requests for a reduction in the number of workdays. However, a stringent review process must be implemented to measure the impact this would have if it were to be approved.

When accepting or denying an employee’s request, a verbal response alone won’t suffice, she adds. It needs to be in a formal written format that clearly outlines the reason for approval or refusal. 

Question: What considerations should we keep in mind if an employee wants to work overseas?

3 minutes 55 seconds – VanWorkum goes into detail about a common request that lands on HR’s desk regarding remote work from an overseas location.

While  hybrid work is becoming increasingly common these days, there are a range of factors HR should consider, she says. For example, it’s crucial to work out proper protocols and policies to extend this provision to all staff members before allowing it for one employee. 

“This builds consistency into the process from the get-go and safeguards against any claims about unfair treatment of favouritism of one employee,” she says.

Got your own HR question that requires a bespoke answer? AHRI members have access to the AHRI:Assist portal and are welcome to submit their HR questions.