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Original poster

Not sure what to do new office attendance policy

207 replies

sunflower122 · 05/09/2024 22:28

I took on a new role around two years ago. The company wanted me to be based in a particular office further north (about a three hour each way commute away.)

I said that was fine but I could only do that commute once a week. This was agreed in writing. I genuinely would not have taken the job if they had not agreed to this - my old job was fine!

The company have now announced a mandatory three day a week in the office policy.

I genuinely cannot do this with a six hour commute and it wasn't the basis on which I accepted the role.

Do I need to leave pretty much immediately?

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Thursdaygirl · 09/09/2024 18:20

SW18Life · 09/09/2024 18:15

Honestly, do nothing. You already have a written agreement in place, if anyone challenged you on it play dumb and say that you are working to your agreed pattern.
in my (large) org there are the rules and the side deal, you have a side deal. Keep quiet until it comes up.

Definitely! I think we have side deals, but we call them local arrangements

SW18Life · 09/09/2024 18:15

Honestly, do nothing. You already have a written agreement in place, if anyone challenged you on it play dumb and say that you are working to your agreed pattern.
in my (large) org there are the rules and the side deal, you have a side deal. Keep quiet until it comes up.

StormingNorman · 09/09/2024 13:38

sunflower122 · 09/09/2024 10:09

@BChanna83 :( absolutely no employee consultation either.

I wonder how many others are planning on leaving, and that's the real aim of the policy 🤷‍♀️

Possibly. If they want people in the office, it’s easier for them if you leave rather than go through a protracted dismissal process.

BChanna83 · 09/09/2024 13:31

sunflower122 · 09/09/2024 10:09

@BChanna83 :( absolutely no employee consultation either.

I wonder how many others are planning on leaving, and that's the real aim of the policy 🤷‍♀️

It's supposed to be a "progressive" company(!)

DancingPhantomsOnTheTerrace · 09/09/2024 13:17

sunflower122 · 09/09/2024 10:09

@BChanna83 :( absolutely no employee consultation either.

I wonder how many others are planning on leaving, and that's the real aim of the policy 🤷‍♀️

It crossed my mind as well re headcount.

But I agree with the post above me that this is now very identifiable for you.

HotCrossBunplease · 09/09/2024 11:22

@OP if you are saying what I think you are saying in your last post I’d get this thread deleted as it will be very easy for PWC to work out who you are.

Shame as I’d love to find out who you get on. All the best.

Original poster
sunflower122 · 09/09/2024 10:09

@BChanna83 :( absolutely no employee consultation either.

I wonder how many others are planning on leaving, and that's the real aim of the policy 🤷‍♀️

OP posts:
BChanna83 · 09/09/2024 07:18

Thursdaygirl · 08/09/2024 23:09

Are you planning to comply?

Show quote history

Already looking elsewhere, it's absolutely ridiculous! I'm super PO about a) how they conveyed the message b) we're all supposed to comply like robots c) nobody has budgeted for it d) everyone has now adjusted to this hybrid lifestyle especially with young families e) my husband has cancer and I'm his primary carer and yes they still expect me to come in!

Some of our managers are petitioning, and prepare case to leadership - don't know if it'll work though 😕... ps- based in London

HotCrossBunplease · 09/09/2024 06:48

To be honest I’m amazed that you have found one day a week of 3 hours there and back to be sustainable. I would not fancy doing
6 hours of commuting once a week.

Codlingmoths · 09/09/2024 01:50

StormingNorman · 08/09/2024 23:15

She doesn’t have it in her contract. The contract has a vague reference to hybrid working. What OP has is an informal agreement that was made before the company policy changed.

Show quote history

Terms put in writing prior to signing an employment contract are legally part of your employment contract. This has already been explained multiple times on this thread.

StormingNorman · 08/09/2024 23:15

taxguru · 06/09/2024 10:39

Very bad advice.

No need to go down that route at all.

OP has the one day per week as part of their employment contract by virtue of it being an expressly agreed term, evidenced by the email confirmation.

All they need to do is "remind" HR of their contractual agreement.

Going down the flexible working request route is a distraction and unnecessary at this stage and could make things worse as the employer is under no obligation to grant it.

Show quote history

She doesn’t have it in her contract. The contract has a vague reference to hybrid working. What OP has is an informal agreement that was made before the company policy changed.

Thursdaygirl · 08/09/2024 23:09

BChanna83 · 08/09/2024 22:08

PwC right? I'm in the same boat 😓

Are you planning to comply?

BChanna83 · 08/09/2024 22:08

PwC right? I'm in the same boat 😓

Thursdaygirl · 08/09/2024 16:53

G5000 · 08/09/2024 11:09

What do you mean ‘organising their lives on this basis’ surely their lives are ‘at work’ on the other days, either at home or in the office!

Is it really that difficult to imagine? If I organise my life assuming I will be 10 minutest from school and can pick DC up, it's different than when I have 3 hour commute home after the same working day.

Absolutely - having to factor commuting into your day makes a HUGE difference

HotCrossBunplease · 08/09/2024 15:58

Negroany · 08/09/2024 13:24

OK, I've just read up about that. Seems they've removed the word "consumer" but legal opinion is still that it's not very likely to be applicable.

Show quote history

Yes, I should have clarified that I wasn’t saying that UCTA would necessarily apply to employment contracts, just noting that UCTA is no longer the basis for consumer law contractual terms since the CRA came in.

(Consumer law is my area, but employment isn’t! Reading around it seems there are other reasons that UCTA may not apply to contracts of employment).

Negroany · 08/09/2024 13:24

HotCrossBunplease · 07/09/2024 12:44

No, UCTA is for general civil contractual liability. You are getting mixed up with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 which took some of the provisions in UCTA that related to consumers and rewrote them, separating the two bits of legislation into consumer and non-consumer categories.

Edited
Show quote history

OK, I've just read up about that. Seems they've removed the word "consumer" but legal opinion is still that it's not very likely to be applicable.

Loopytiles · 08/09/2024 12:04

Interesting @Negroany - thank you!

G5000 · 08/09/2024 11:09

What do you mean ‘organising their lives on this basis’ surely their lives are ‘at work’ on the other days, either at home or in the office!

Is it really that difficult to imagine? If I organise my life assuming I will be 10 minutest from school and can pick DC up, it's different than when I have 3 hour commute home after the same working day.

LostGhost · 08/09/2024 08:57

I mean I wouldn't go for a role that came with a six hour commute anyway but here we are, that must be an incredibly long day?

To me this wouldn't be a redundancy situation given that you legally don't make people redundant. You make the role redundant and if they can argue that the work still needs to be done then it's not redundancy.

I would agree your first step would be going to HR and telling them your agreement of one day per week won't be changing and take it from there.

CantHoldMeDown · 08/09/2024 08:50

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

FloozyMcGee · 08/09/2024 07:39

No, you don't leave right away. You bring out the contract and go to the management and have a discussion. Let them know that you can't do it and will be forced to resign if required to do it.

You might also consider a room rental, and do the three days in a row. I know professors who do this in order to live in the place they love while working a job they love. If that's not possible, perhaps you can use your time off (if you have it) to take two of the days off each week while looking for another job.

OhcantthInkofaname · 08/09/2024 06:01

After 2 weeks you will have a disability, exhaustion, mental and physical.

pollymere · 08/09/2024 01:08

Your role was agreed to be 1/5 in the office as part of a hybrid contract. The announcement should really be for office-based staff who have an option of WFH and are not hybrid.

They could ask that you hotdesk in an office closer to home I guess but otherwise if you have it as a condition of employment then they're going to have to accept it or find you an alternative role.

Lyraloo · 08/09/2024 00:29

sunflower122 · 06/09/2024 10:34

It's causing people so much stress and panic. Most people were doing two days and organised their lives on that basis

What do you mean ‘organising their lives on this basis’ surely their lives are ‘at work’ on the other days, either at home or in the office!

Ariana12 · 07/09/2024 22:26

I would say the written agreement that you only have to attend one day a week has become part of your contract. Also as you have worked for 2+ years you have the right not to be sacked, including constructive dismissal. Could ACAS help? I'm assuming there's no union at your work.

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