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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To refuse to go back to the office

395 replies

tillytalks · 09/01/2021 10:46

I’m currently on mat leave and due back to work on the 15th March.

I work in an office with 12 other people.
At present everyone is in the office.

There is no reason why people can’t work from
home, and I’m pretty sure the reason is that management are the type that wouldn’t trust staff to work at home.
It’s a family run business and the owners are quite precious.

I’m really careful, I don’t mix, I follow the rules to the letter.

I’m 34, have mild asthma and I also have a high BMI (more than 30 but less than 40)
I’m working out and eating well so I’m hoping this will reduce.

Even still, I just don’t feel comfortable sitting in an office all day with 12 other people.
The office isn’t big. It’s a long room, and although we can distance, I feel like it would still be crowded.

I know that I wouldn’t be given any preferential treatment to work from home, but I haven’t asked so can’t be too sure.

I’ll be working 3 days per week and my son (who will be 13m) will be in a nursery.

I’m also aware that my son being in nursery puts me at risk which is something else I’ve been thinking over.

AIBU to not want to return?

OP posts:
LilyE1234 · 09/01/2021 11:17

It’s all very well and good having the government guidance but many work places are claiming to now be ‘covid secure’ so employees don’t have a leg to stand one when told they must come into the office.

Do you know if any of the other 12 employees have questioned why they’re all in the office? I imagine you wouldn’t be the only one with concerns that might have already been raised and shot down.

Original poster
tillytalks · 09/01/2021 11:17

@NailsNeedDoing

If by the time you go back working in the office is permitted, then you’d be unreasonable to say you don’t want to go in and still expect to keep your job.

But working in the office must be permitted now?
Or are my company breaking the law?

Isn’t it just guidance from the government.
So if my company are putting safety measures into places they could say they are Covid secure and therefore safe for me to go in?

OP posts:
Oh12lookanothernamechange1234 · 09/01/2021 11:17

It’s March..... honestly I would just wait until then. The world changes daily at the moment so who knows where we will be at then. IF we are in lockdown or a tier that indicates WFH YANBU but if we aren’t any the tier you are in doesn’t say that then the office will be Covid safe. They have to be and have to have strict risk assessments. There must be distance between desks, a policy of how many people are allowed in per room etc.

Pawpatrollers2021 · 09/01/2021 11:17

I don’t think you need to worry about it now personally - cross that bridge at beg of March, but FFS this is why the bloody virus is spreading!! If you have an office job you can damn well manage from home or at least do a rota system so not everyone’s in. This would make it much safer for the poor bastards who really can’t work from home 🤬🤬.

I don’t know what it’s like where you are but my SILworks for environmental health here and as they’re not doing hospitality infections they’re basically part of a task force cracking down on things like this. I’d anonymously report them to the council of where the office is based.

Pawpatrollers2021 · 09/01/2021 11:19

@LilyE1234. No this is wrong there is a stay at home order in place. Employees need to prove the roles can’t be done from home.

Horseradish01 · 09/01/2021 11:20

Wait until nearer the time as situation changing daily and then if still bad you can put in a request to wfh. The worst they can say is no.

XelaM · 09/01/2021 11:20

I think it's really outdated and bad management not to trust employees who work from home. If every other company around the world manages, why can't they?

Aprilx · 09/01/2021 11:20

Ask if you can work from home. If they say no then your only option would be to resign as you say distancing is possible.

Original poster
tillytalks · 09/01/2021 11:20

@Pawpatrollers2021

I’d anonymously report them to the council of where the office is based.

But if they’ve got measures in place (distancing)
then what would or could the council even do?
They aren’t breaking the law, are they?

OP posts:
princessandthedragon · 09/01/2021 11:21

I wouldn’t go in. Why should you put yourself at risk because they have failed to put their trust in their staff and treat them like adults? People of all ages are catching this virus and getting very ill with it.

LilyE1234 · 09/01/2021 11:22

[quote Pawpatrollers2021]@LilyE1234. No this is wrong there is a stay at home order in place. Employees need to prove the roles can’t be done from home.[/quote]
I get that and I full agree with it but try telling that to employer in a job market where you’re pretty disposable. There are no employment laws to protect you for refusing to go to the office because of covid.

annevonkleve · 09/01/2021 11:24

@LividLoving

The fact that people think being in the office unnecessarily is okay is why we’re on in this mess.

If you can work from home, you should. Every workplace seems to think they are the exception. They should be managing their staff to ensure productivity, not forcing them in.

This.

Fortunately I have an employer which takes the opposite view - you work from home unless you really can't and you have to talk to HR and get a special permission if you want to go into the office.

The government needs to make this messaging much stronger and actually call out the micromanagers who need to learn how to manage people remotely.

PurpleFlower1983 · 09/01/2021 11:25

Wait until March. I would say the bigger risk to you would be your child going to nursery, they have had loads of cases at my local ones. It sounds like the office is ‘Covid safe’ so you may be told you have to go in or resign.

Shinyletsbebadguys · 09/01/2021 11:25

I would make a clearer decision closer to March. In reality we truly don't know the situation from one week to the next. Wait and see.

I agree with others that this presenteeism and the usually unverified claims that working from home makes you less productive are outdated (and untrained ) management. However people will hold to these. Whilst things may look different in March it's going to be a long time before life is "normal" again.

I wouldn't say anything now but take the time to consider your options as time goes forward. Basically keep your powder dry ,look at whether this job will be feasible going forward but don't burn your bridges yet.

PurpleFlower1983 · 09/01/2021 11:26

I’m not saying I agree with it btw. I think if you can work from home you should be able to.

HeelsHandbagPerfumeCoffee · 09/01/2021 11:26

You need to maintain contact with work,have a COVID risk assessment
That will highlight any potential issues eg the asthma and how to address it
You need to ask what COVID secure measures are the office implementing
You cannot solely decide to remain home without a discussion with the manager

Original poster
tillytalks · 09/01/2021 11:27

@PurpleFlower1983

Wait until March. I would say the bigger risk to you would be your child going to nursery, they have had loads of cases at my local ones. It sounds like the office is ‘Covid safe’ so you may be told you have to go in or resign.
@PurpleFlower1983

I know, I’m equally as worried about this.

I have spoken to the nursery. He will be in a bubble with 8 other babies (0-17m) and 3 members of staff.

OP posts:
underneaththeash · 09/01/2021 11:28

Could you delay your start date by a few weeks, things will be better after Easter. You could use holiday, or just take some parental leave.

TopBitchoftheWitches · 09/01/2021 11:28

I have no choice but to go to work, my employer has given us a letter to show police if we are pulled over explaining what we do. Do you have one of these?

Arobase · 09/01/2021 11:29

@princessandthedragon

I wouldn’t go in. Why should you put yourself at risk because they have failed to put their trust in their staff and treat them like adults? People of all ages are catching this virus and getting very ill with it.
Because she may get sacked otherwise?
Nanny0gg · 09/01/2021 11:29

Is the office covid-compliant? You need to check that first.

merrymouse · 09/01/2021 11:29

No this is wrong there is a stay at home order in place. Employees need to prove the roles can’t be done from home.

Practically speaking the employer decides whether a role can be carried out from home. The only businesses that have been forced to closed are public facing. The employee could claim that their office isn’t COVID safe, but that is much easier said than done.

It would be easier for employees if the government made the rules clearer and stricter, but at the moment they don’t seem to have any intention of doing so.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 09/01/2021 11:29

The law is you must work from home if you can. Most office-based work can be done from home so your employers should facilitate this.

GintyMcGinty · 09/01/2021 11:30

Put in a flexible working request with the request being that you work from home.

They don't have to agree but they do have to consider it properly and give you a proper business reason for refusing.

Do it this way.

They might agree.
They might not but at least you will know where you stand. And then can make a decision based on that.

merrymouse · 09/01/2021 11:31

The law is you must work from home if you can.

But the employer defines what this means. The only duty an employer has is to ensure that the workplace is COVID safe.