AIBU for keyworker employer not encouraging more wfh duties

[Struggleisreel]

I work full-time, in the public sector within I.T. I have been told that I cannot work from home as they'll be nothing for me to do. As my job involves plugging things in, loading software, shipping equipment, they're saying my role cannot be carried out from home.

I've disputed this by saying I also have written elements of my role and have a work laptop to do complete these. They're saying it's not sufficient to even cover 2 days WFH.
I'm so upset by this as I'm a single parent, 2DCs in school and nursery and I feel offering 3 days a week in the office shouldn't be met with such strong, unempathetic objection.., the stress of having to find sufficient work is making me feel ill tbh. It's been adjusted for a few weeks but awaiting review. Senior management are saying things like.. we don't want people at home, getting paid for nothing. AIBU to expect my employer to be more proactive in finding WFH tasks for me?

You need to log absolutely everything you do in the office over the course of 2/3 weeks (retroactively if possible?), with time spent against it and demonstrate your ability to work from home effectively

Terrible - I wonder if it's the NHS you work for? My friend can do almost all her job at home but it's refused and she has to go into the hospital 3 days a week for no good reason.

I work in a private sector job - 100% at home. Even our contact centre was shifted overnight and jobs that have always been told they can't be done at home.

I wonder if it's to do with the more male IT environment. Our IT department at the only ones in - but a lot of it can be done from home. I'm almost pleased when I call the helpdesk and can hear kids in the background because it's not fair to see them be forced in.

Some men out there are quite happy to have to work from home because it gets them out of homeschooling or they get a key worker letter. Not all men, but I was talking about it with my husband and we know quite a few who say they HAVE to work in the office and they don't really. Some at DHs work and plenty of them have had covid. So if that's the culture - you wanting, quite rightly, to do differently are rocking the boat.

I'd be surprised if you were the only one. Has anyone in your team had covid, is anyone else worried? I'd find an ally - your case will be far stronger that way.

Are you able to give them a plan of what you can do? Negotiate 1 day wfh? Alternatively are you able to assist another team? Speak to HR?

Anyway you're not being unreasonable at all. Hope it gets easier.

Oops meant to say I work in a public sector job...

Why did you post this 10 minutes apart under 2 different names?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4133286-AIBU-to-not-be-expected-to-find-WFH-duties-by-my-employer?msgid=103556724