New manager want me in the office. I wfh-help!

Sorry, OP, but surely you considered the possibility this might happen? Even when Covid began, four years ago, people were talking about eventually going back to the office, so it's hardly a new thing. And if there's nothing in your contract to say that your post is on a permanent wfh basis then you might not have any choice. Have you looked at not only your contract of employment but any covering letter you received/other documents since you joined the company, to see if they say anything else you might use in your favour? Are others in the company working from home permanently in a similar role? Any union membership or access to employment advice through your home insurance?

Why, after pages and pages of posts which would inform them they’re wrong, do people with no understanding of the situation still comment rubbish?

What the contract says has very little bearing after this long.

Good reasons for you to make the case to HR and your manager!

TBH I think you are lucky they only want you in once a month, I would jump on that if I were you.

Your contact doesn't say WFH, most employers now want their employees back 3 days a week now.

I think based on this op you should be fine. Bring it to her and the customs /practises argument although if she really takes this to an end point it could end in redundancy for you.

“I wfh permanently but my contract says HQ.
I live 5 hours away always have done. They knew where I lived when I started.”

not to be blunt but you also knew where you lived when you applied for the job. If your contract says HQ you could always ask to continue working from home but the contract is not in your favour

Barbados looks beautiful

https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/bookaccommodation?productCode=974579&tab=overview&noOfAdults=2&noOfChildren=0&childrenAge=&duration=7&flexibleDays=7&airports%5B%5D=MAN&flexibility=true&noOfSeniors=0&when=01-05-2024&pkg=1149623748/3/486/7&tra_o=A166c3359972b68812353e4817d5081d4&tra_i=A166c3359972b68812353e4817d5081d4&units%5B%5D=BRB:COUNTRY&packageId=974579BBBB003217145216000001714521600000EI3117151264000001715212800000EI30DD031149623748/3/486/7&index=5&multiSelect=true&brandType=T&bb=AI&room=&isVilla=false&searchType=search&durationCode=7115&rmpc=1|2|0|0|0|&rmtp=DD03&rmbb=AI&fc=n&greatDealDiscount=0&bb=AI&price=pp

Where do you see she is a full time carer for anyone ?
She states she is a sole earner because of DH's disability, but that doesn't mean he needs care from the OP, he might not need care at all or he might have professional care.

One of our children, whenever new job, they insist that WFH is drawn up in their contract as part of the package. Once a month is reasoanble and inc in contract and emergency situations and this would be supported by paid time off for travel and expenses

Absolutely classic MN. Also total rubbish. Of course she's not being a CF.

It can be done - I had to work full time from home with two young kids also at home during lockdown, as many people did! It depends on the job but generally if your employer is happy with flexible working, you can fit work round your other commitments. So long as you do the job, and do it well, employers generally don't care how (at least in my experience, although this thread suggests otherwise!)

Not sensible of you to make assumptions about paying. OP might well have access to specialist employment advice for free, and I outlined two common ways on the first page of this thread.

Also not sensible to make assumptions about whether any such conversation would be perfectly reasonable. You've done a lot of filling in blanks to fit with your preconceptions in this thread, and it leads you to give bad advice.

I don't think this is a good question for popular vote.
It sounds you are in a defacto WFH position, which just wasn't specified correctly in the paperwork. Actually, them paying for your past office trips is part of the proof, that you aren't office based.

YANBU at all. Still, worth a legal advice, just to know how to phrase your response, so you would point out the crucial points and ask the right questions. Maybe the new manager does have a full picture yet?

I have little sympathy for those who moved out and unilaterally decided to change their jobs for permanent WFH, but it isn't your case.

How is the OP able to be a F T carer for her husband and able to WFH ?

If you always worked like this then you should be protected . Look customs and practice .
why the sudden change anyway ?

Good luck OP.
you seem to have very good grounds.

We have staff who applied innlockdown and live 5 to 6 hours away.

They come in 4 times a year and maybe the odd in person.meeting.

It is understood and accepted.
There performance is just as good as those who chose to come in every day.

Perhaps you could read the whole thread, or at least the OP's posts, before you post nonsense.

but the job advert said remote and HR confirmed it when she started!

Nobody sees their contract until they've been offered the job - you work off the t&c in the job advert. It's not a case of hoping they are correct - if something is specifically advertised they can't then change it. Therefore OP's application was made on the basis that it was a remote job - she could argue she wouldn't even have applied if this wasn't the case.

Same with posters suggesting OP looks for a new, fully remote job - given THIS job was advertised as remote, how on earth can OP work out whether any similar job with the same wording actually means remote or not?

Yes signing the contract complicates things- but I think people are being unfair to accuse OP of being entitled to want to continue with the same t&c as the job she applied for and has been doing for the last few years.

It's a completely different scenario to someone who started being office based, WFH during the pandemic and moved away, and management now want staff back in.

This is tosh. There is no need to go paying solicitors when a perfectly reasonable conversation could be had with her employer to see if they're willing to make an exception for her.

If they aren't, THEN seek legal advice.

That's good, one less thing to worry about. BUT contract re-negotiations can also involve paycuts because everything is back on the table. If you're a high performer they're not likely to give you a paycut, but if you're not or there's any negative feedback they can use it as an excuse to lower pay/change job description etc. Take legal advice if you go down this route.

No, OP needs her own independent legal advice first. Before raising the issue and possibly saying things that don't help her.

No reason to think the new manager understands the law, or that they've had access to everyone's original job adverts and initial emails about how the role would be performed. And HR aren't a neutral party either.

Then once OP understands her position, that's when it's time for a decision about what suits her best strategically.

Agree with you, it seems like a lot of MNers here want to beat WFH/hybrid workers with a stick to get them back to work and think they’re all shirkers.

Yes, some WFH workers are shirkers who do little work and get away with it but the vast majority of us actually work, at work. I’m similar to another pp, I’d rather get paid less and do a hybrid model of working.

Hence why i've said sit down and speak with HR and the manager.

Grandfather rights are a thing. I got a company car in one job which apparently I wasn't entitled to, but because i'd had it for two years they couldn't take it off me and it became part of my entitlement.

Get a legal standing on this, but before you do that just sit down and talk to people about it - perhaps this is worth going into the office over rather than posting on the internet to a bunch of strangers and asking their opinion? I'm aware talking to your colleagues isn't part of your deemed job description but if it means keeping your status as "that person who nobody ever sees because she just works here but doesn't want to actually know anyone" then maybe it's worth the trip.

Or maybe it's not and a new job is in order...

Oh another thing to consider though - if you change your contract to be remote, it could impact salary? As I know in our company we offer London weighting for those who have London HO in contract. For those roles fully remote or have a regional office in contract, it's a lower pay. Worth checking before you re-negotiate.