To refuse this request from employer

[StrongerSingle]

Not posted for aaages ... but needed some perspective and advice on this.

I have the most awful employers and quite honestly, am very happy working from home so that I do not have to see them. For the record, my job entails dealing with financial reporting (mainly Excel) and all the company files are in the cloud so accessible from anywhere.

At the beginning of lockdown, they were their usual unorganised muppets and we all started working from home without any IT equipment being supplied. I have a decent laptop and large monitor of my own so just carried on working using my equipment. They have never offered to supply anything .. just assuming we will all use our own stuff.

Today I get a message saying they want to install time-logging software on MY laptop to see what I am doing. I must admit I haven't seen it yet and do not know what info it will be sending them ... but AIBU to say no?

God that sounds awful. YANBU.

Tell them they will need to supply you with a work laptop if they want this.

You're not being unreasonable. If they want the software, they provide the hardware.

They need to supply you with a laptop. Simply.

Wow they're CF's. YANBU

I would refuse on the grounds that it is my own personal laptop. I'd only accept if they were to provide a laptop for work purposes.

YANBU - absolutely refuse this. If they want to use time logging equipment they have to supply you with a laptop. Anything else is ridiculous beyond belief and a massive infringement of your privacy.

Now is the time to ask for dedicated work equipment. Formalise the arrangement.

What else will they be able to access on your personal laptop? Bank details? Information on websites you have visited? The list could go on. I would say because of it being a personal laptop with personal confidential information on it you will decline the offer unless they are able to provide you with a laptop or PC to use solely for work

@FTMF30

I would refuse on the grounds that it is my own personal laptop. I'd only accept if they were to provide a laptop for work purposes.

I agree. No way would I allow someone else access to my personal stuff.

At the beginning of lockdown a lot of companies that were not set up for home working had to rely on people using their own equipment etc ...
however, I think there comes a time where ‘temporary’ becomes more permanent and companies need to look into buying equipment for employees.
Now the government states you can go work in the office, I say that you should be allowed to. If a company wants you to continue to work from home (because they can’t make the workplace Covid secure) then they should provide equipment.
Absolutely do not let them put software on your equipment. They need to provide you with it.

No way. Not on your hardware.

Yep, work need to supply all WFH equipment.

Agree with everyone else. If they want to use the software, they need to provide a work laptop. No way would I allow anything work related on my personal one.

Absolutely no way would I allow this.

Not a chance, regardless of software.

i am also using personal laptop for home working and sure doing something like this would be an infringement of privacy. My company have even said we are not going to be clock watching as long as the work gets done and customers can get hold of us as and when needed (in core working hours as using personal phone as well).

Time for them to put their hands in their pockets

Definitely not on your own laptop. Only if they supply you with a company laptop. Massive invasion of your privacy!

Thanks everyone - looks like my knee-jerk reaction was right :)

I will be speaking to the management later and will say that if they supply the laptop, they can install what they want, but they are not installing this on my laptop.

Yes, I agree - say of course you can, when are you delivering the work laptop with the program installed on it?

@StrongerSingle

Thanks everyone - looks like my knee-jerk reaction was right :)

I will be speaking to the management later and will say that if they supply the laptop, they can install what they want, but they are not installing this on my laptop.

Personally I wouldn't be quite so compliant ... what do they intend logging, and how, and how will it be protected for a start ?

Imagine you discover they've had your camera and/or audio on when you weren't aware. You can tape they camera, but it's harder to cover the microphone.

You should get them to supply a laptop anyway - you're hammering yours by using it all day every day.

No way. On their own equipment, fine. Anything else is taking the piss. Massively.

@MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously

Tell them they will need to supply you with a work laptop if they want this.

This!

How DARE they!

You are doing your work (presumably to their satisfaction) on YOUR own equipment and now they want to track your work time on YOUR computer, effectively invading YOUR privacy and perhaps compromising YOUR security?

Stuff that!

YANBU. There is no way I would allow a third party - employer or otherwise - to install software on any device of mine.

And I wouldn't be happy about time logging software generally.

YANBU.