To wonder about the heating bills for WFH?

[CheetasOnFajitas]

It’s occurred to me, now that colder weather has set in and it looks like those who can do so will be WFH for the next 6 months- the heating bills are going to be through the roof!

Has anyone’s employer acknowledged that home-based employees are going to have to bear this cost? I know for some it will be offset by no commuting costs, but not for all: my husband and I cycle to work normally.

I do acknowledge that I am personally lucky to (a) have a job that can be done from home and (b) have a job at all.

[HardJustGotHarder]

There a half price heater in wilko £15

Uses 12p an hour in electric


So £30 pay out ....
Then about £1.50 a day for both heaters...

[THEDEACON]

Originally I voted YANBU however having read all your posts you are in fact being very unreasonable!

[CheetasOnFajitas]

@THEDEACON

Originally I voted YANBU however having read all your posts you are in fact being very unreasonable!

There’s no voting enabled.

But thanks for the clarification.

[Bwlch]

There’s no voting enabled.

There is.

Currently: 61% YABU, 39% YABBU

[Bwlch]

YANBU

[CheetasOnFajitas]

@Bwlch

There’s no voting enabled.

There is.

Currently: 61% YABU, 39% YABBU

Interesting, I didn’t deliberately enable voting because my AIBU was re wondering whether any employers had offered to cover these costs- not that that has stopped a zillion posters from reading it as “AIBU to demand that my employer cover heating costs?”. I guess I must have clicked “enable voting” by accident- voting was showing zero until I registered my own vote just now.

[Judystilldreamsofhorses]

OP, I think people saying “you are lucky to have a job” are missing the point that people’s circumstances have changed.

I know I am “lucky to have a job”, but my DP now doesn’t, so our income has reduced by over 50%, and our outgoings are rising due to me WFH. We live in an old granite property, which is hard to heat anyway, and I am not in a job where I can stick on a slanket. I walk to and from work, so no saving there.

I don’t for a second expect my employer to pick up my bills, and even at work I have to buy my own resources, but I think your question is completely reasonable, and people have not read it properly/been dicks.

[WaxOnFeckOff]

A contract of employment is a document that both parties sign up to. I expect that the basics are that employee commits to undertake certain tasks and the employer commits to providing a safe working environment as well as pay and perks.

In this case, the employer is unable or unwilling to hold up their end of the contract and expects the employee to pick up the slack.

Now, if the employer was to have an honest proper discussion about the difficulties and losses they are experiencing and to compensate employees for using their own resources to work (electricity/gas/stationary etc etc) would put their existence in jeopardy or require job losses, I think most folk would be grown up enough to just suck it up if they could to preserve their longer term security.

However, that's not always the case and some companies are doing the same or better than they normally would and are seeking to basically reduce peoples employment terms by stealth. They'd rather any money that they gain go to directors or shareholders.

That type of behaviour doesn't benefit the employees or future employees or the industry etc.

[Xenia]

Sorry Judy's husband has lost his job. From a tax law point of view however as the husband is now home all day the heating is as much to heat him as to keep Judy warm whilst working so it is that kind of dual purpose issue which is hard to settle fairly.

However in practice will come down to worker shortage. If you are a worker who brings in loads of lucrative business an employer will be doing all they can to keep that person. If they are someone who can be replaced at the drop of a hat we know what the employer will say if the employee asks for a winter hearing allowance.

[UniversalAunt]

Most offices have AirCon of some variety, not for the comfort of workers but to manage the heat given off by PCs, printers & networked machines on top of the heat generated by workers.

Too much heat generated by machines on a hot day affects machine & telecom kit performance. Human comfort is an additional benefit. There is no maximum workplace temperature by which workers can not work - minimum temperature is another matter.

So, back to my point. Yes, you can heat the room you use to WFH, a small heater will keep your toes toasty, maybe not as comfy as workplace heating but it can be done. Managing working on a protracted run of hot days without AC I found a real grind.

[itoohaveopinions]

This is such an unusual situation and yes its sucky that your heating bills will go up. If your employer won’t compensate for the extra money on heating then I’d guess your only option might be to change employers? I can’t imagine a law that would make an employer pay for your home heating but IANAL! The pandemic sucks in so many big and small ways!