To mention reasonable adjustments?

[BangYourHead]

I have NC for this as I don't want it linked to my previous posting history and I am posting here for traffic as I could do with a quick response.

I have just started a new job. I also have a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. I am used to being able to work flexibly and to have the autonomy to work from home. The new job has agreed I can attend weekly appointments (I haven't disclosed what they are for) but there is no give on start and finish times and I can't work from home. I have a long commute and the lack of flexibly is really affecting my mood (sounds petty I know)! I am stressed running about trying to juggle childcare as a LP and I know I can ask for reasonable adjustments but should I or should I just look for another job?

I would look for another job. Presumably you knew what you needed when you applied for this job and knew they wouldn’t offer it.

I mean you could ask but they wouldn’t be doing it happily and you’ve not preotection really being a new employee they could make up any reason why they no longer require you.

Did you know about the inflexible hours before accepting? I think you need to be clear in your mind whether it is the hours/commute/childcare arrangements which is the issue or your mh before approaching your employer. You can request flexible work arrangements after a period of service even without mh issues but business needs may not enable an employer to agree them.

So you haven’t declared the condition but expect adjustment?

Flexibility isn’t possible in all jobs, ideally if needed I think discussing that before starting a new job is better.

I had no idea when I applied. The ethos of the company is flexible working, wfh etc. I didn't have any contract discussions about working hours either.

I am happy to disclose a condition if it's acceptable to ask for some adjustments. Just the option to work from home when I'm having a bad day would make life easier.

AIBU is just about the worst place you could ask this sort of question. Report your post and ask for it to be moved to employment issues.

I think random days wfh may be problematic for many companies. It would also not help with your commuting and childcare long term. What type of role is it?

You can’t expect reasonable adjustments if you don’t disclose your condition. Unfortunately, some employers will take a dim view of people disclosing a condition after they’ve accepted a job, not before.
In my experience, flexible working isn’t truly flexible, it’s normally working to a different pattern (eg part time), but that’s fixed and part of the employment contact, not changeable from day to day.

Have you been through ATW?

Agree with poutysprout though

Changes to working hours is a fairly straightforward adjustment for a lot of businesses. I would disclose and ask. You might need to go to occupational health. If you're thinking ask or look for another job you might as well ask tbh. It's a good that they've agreed to the appointments without you disclosing your disability.

It's completely up to you when you disclose it, you absolutely do not need to do it before accepting a role.

I wouldn't do it before accepting a role or I would never get a job.... they know the appointments are medical and I will work my hours around them.

Have you been through access to work OP? It’s a good starting poisn’t.

I think your expectations are unreasonable, and this should have been discussed at final interview when they usually ask if you have my questions. It sounds like there are a few that make this job unsuitable, and as a medium business owner, I’d be pretty annoyed at you wasting my time. Sorry this is probably not what you want to hear. If the choice is ask to work from home or leave, you have nothing to lose by asking, but I seriously doubt they’d go for it at this early stage if is not common practice there.

Every other team works from home and it's a huge organisation with about 20000 employees.

You will need to disclose your condition, probably get a referral to Occupational Health and then see if wfh can be accommodated for you. The company is under no obligation to agree - if your condition is covered by the Equality Act then they just have to see if they can make the adjustment for you but they can say no if they can back it up with a business need/justification.

But why not ask about working from home when you took the job? I don’t understand why you would assume. Your workimg hours must have been in the contract you signed? We have some employees who work from home or do half and half. But I would be really unhappy if an employee who I’d given time for appointments, then criticised our flexibility. You say their lack of flexibility is affecting your mood, but it is quite possible that your lack of flexibility will impact negatively the job you’re being paid to do. I think it’s fine for you to ask (you have nothing to lose), but if they don’t agree to what you want you should find a new job.

The ethos of the company is flexible working, wfh etc.

So how come they're not offering you any flexibility?

If every other team works flexibly, why can’t uou?

Oh can't expect them to make adjustments without disclosing to them.

Fair enough, the consensus is IABU so I won't mention it. I can't easily find another job as my role is very niche so I guess it's just grin and bear it and hope I don't have a breakdown

It is not that yabu necessarily but that there are processes to follow to request flexible working whether you decide to declare the condition itself or not. If your employer is unaware of the issues you face how can they accommodate. Maybe others have preplanned wfh tasks which your role is less suited to. Are you due a review soon?

'Grin and bear and hope you don't have a break down'? Really?! And claim sick no doubt? Sounds like you're having a tantrum about a choice you made. You knew the distance of the commute when you took the job, and you knew you wanted to work from home. You also knew your child care commitments.

This business does not owe you a job. They have employed you in good faith, into a position that was not advertised as flexible to include work from home, and hasn't moved it's location. They have already, in good faith allowed you time for appointments, without you giving reason why. It feels like you are not taking responsibility for your work/life balance. Get a job that suits what you need, and if that's difficult, re qualify. If you ask to work from home, and can't accommodate, and you continue despite knowing your condition will worsen - your break down will be on you. Not the job, not the employer. Think about that, and how it will affect your children before you continue on this path.

The last comment of my post about grinning and bearing it was meant to be light hearted.... The whole website about the company makes reference to flexible working.

Yes of course, I will just re qualify. Silly me!

Did you ask about flexible working in the interview though? This would be a standard question to ask by anyone, regardless of disability, if it was something that was all over the website but unclear in a job ad.