Ruby, 40, has been employed for over 10 years by a car dealership on a full-time basis to manage the service department. Ruby's role includes booking cars for service, ensuring mechanics complete the required work, contacting customers to advise them when their car has been serviced and is ready for collection, and providing the handover of a serviced car to a customer. Ruby is excellent at her job and liked by management, fellow workers, and clients.

The service department is open from 8am-5:30pm. Most customers drop their car off early and then pick the car up late in the afternoon. The mechanics finish work at 4, leaving only Ruby and one other person (normally Robert) to provide the car to the customers.

Ruby's mother, Leticia, is 65 and has significant health problems. For over two years, Ruby has been required to take time off to take her mother to medical appointments and provides regular care for her mother (When Ruby must do this, she organises for Robert to fill in for her in her absence.

Unfortunately, Leticia's health is significantly deteriorating. Leticia has another family member come by in the morning to help her prepare for the day, and a neighbour often drops in throughout the day to assist. However, Leticia now needs full-time help in the afternoon on a regular basis. Ruby knows something must change.

Ruby speaks to her manager and makes a written request to change her hours of work from 8:30-5:30pm to 6am-2:30pm. Ruby tells her manager she can do administrative work between 6am-8am (before the dealership opens its doors). On the same day that Ruby approaches her manager, Robert resigns by coincidence.

• Has Ruby made a valid request for flexible working arrangements?
• Does Ruby's employer have reasonable business grounds to deny the request?