Employer says I must return to office

[Dishmatic]

I’m currently wfh. A lot of people at my company are in the office and have always been.

Last year I wrote to HR and requested to wfh due to a health condition which makes me vulnerable to Covid.
This was approved and i’ve been wfh since.

I have my Covid vaccine this week. I told my work colleague that I’d booked it and yesterday I had an email from work asking for a catch up about retuning to the office.

I spoke to them this morning and they’ve said that now I’m being vaccinated I will be expected to return to the “Covid secure” office.

I didn’t say anything on the phone but I’m really not happy to go back in.

There’s over 70 people in my office building.
14 in the room I work in!!

AIBU to not go back in due to risks?

Is there a way you can evidence your productivity and take this to a discussion with your manager?

Also can you discuss with GP/consultant? To find out more about your specific risk factors?

Also can you discuss with GP/consultant? To find out more about your specific risk factors?

OP is either on the government shielding list or she's not. I'm deemed to be CV but was never on the shielding list.

Well. Your day 5 is impressive.
I managed that this month for the first time in ages aswell.

But, you are clearly missing the point. Employer doesn't see it that way, clearly.

I think what people are confused about is that you have said you are not on the shielding list, yet have had a vaccine in your 30s. There’s a massive disconnect between the fact most people think you need to be in shielding to be in group 6. This is my observation not a dig.

I would speak to the person you mentioned it to see if the email is in relation to them telling someone because that in itself is not appropriate.

I'm in group 6, have had my first vaccine in my 40s and was never told to shield. I thought that it was CEV people who had to shield not CV and CV fall into group 6.

Employers don't have to let you wfh. I'd say yours has been very understanding and once the vaccine waiting period has kicked in you should go back. Many people are either vulnerable or live with someone who is and many of them will be your colleagues who have been working through. They will be wondering why you think you are so much more special that you need to cocoon yourself for months on end even once vaccinated! The risks after the first dose - 3 weeks waiting period, are very much reduced. What's the point of even being vaccinated at all if you are going to cower at home for ages (assuming your attitude to going out applies beyond work) You cannot wrap yourself in cotton wool forever or you will a) be sacked b) lead a very dull life, supposing you're taking the same attitude to socialising etc. Truthfully, do you want to WFH for lifestyle reasons rather than Covid risk?

Blimey. Tough bunch here OP

So HR would like to discuss plans to return to the office. Ok.

Have you been informed about the measures In place which keeps staff safe?

I'd reply to them advising that as you are CV you have received the first dose and are waiting for a date for the second.

You are continuing to shield in accordance with govt guidance.

if a face to face meeting is required will they please defer until you've had the second dose.

How do you get to work? And can you say what makes you CV?

You are continuing to shield in accordance with govt guidance.

She isn’t shielding

I would say you are happy to return after you have had your second vaccine but not before as you will not be full immunity until then and because of xyz you are classed as vulnerable.
Once you have had your second vaccine i dont think you will be able to not return to the office unless there are other mitigating circumstances.
Maybe speak to HR ?

As long as your office have followed all the guidelines then why would you not return to work?
I am wfh and I love it.
I would happily wfh forever but if I am called back in I will go.

I'm a similar age and have just had my first vaccine. There are a wide range of conditions in group 6 that make us more vulnerable. I'm lucky that I was mainly home based anyway before covid.

I think some employers like mine have realised they can save money by having more staff WFH and they trust their employees.
Other employers seem to want the worker bees in the office where they can be more easily micro managed.

I am furloughed due to being CEV. I had my first jab three weeks ago tomorrow. I will be returning to work in 1st April along with all other CEV people. If you're not officially classed as CEV and others are working in the office in a Covid secure manner I think you should be going back tbh.

@WidowTwonky

YANBU. Work from home where possible and it’s obviously been possible for past 12 months so no reason to break guidance now

My thoughts exactly.

@pinkpantherpink as op has said, she is not critically vulnerable nor shielding.

@pinkpantherpink

Blimey. Tough bunch here OP

So HR would like to discuss plans to return to the office. Ok.

Have you been informed about the measures In place which keeps staff safe?

I'd reply to them advising that as you are CV you have received the first dose and are waiting for a date for the second.

You are continuing to shield in accordance with govt guidance.

if a face to face meeting is required will they please defer until you've had the second dose.

How do you get to work? And can you say what makes you CV?

She is not shielding.

If you’re on the shielding list then your letter from GOV is to be used to inform employers that you should WFH, if WFH isn’t possible then you’re entitled to sick pay while you remain at home shielding & unable to work. As a shielder I’d advise you to get an antibody test following your first jab. I’m awaiting second jab (username is old) but already have antibodies from the first jab which has massively reduced my anxiety. Of course statistically it’s still possible to catch or transmit after the vaccine and it’s also likely that antibodies will fade & we will all require booster jabs come the autumn. Good luck & I hope the vaccine puts your mind at rest once you’ve had it. The antibody test is advised to be taken 4+ weeks after either having had covid, been exposed and possibly have been asymptomatic. It’s not advised for antibody test following vaccine but I wanted one to ease my fears - local chemist did one for £49 with results within 10 mins. Not all people show antibodies and may still be immune after recovery from covid or having had the vaccine because we have T cells which also trigger the immune system to fight an infection that the body has had before or knows what to do because of vaccination.

You’ll need to have a discussion about it.

Ask if everyone is being asked to return now.
Ask why it is necessary for you to work from office and home is no longer possible.
Start by saying when you will feel happy to return to the office...relate it to 2nd jab if necessary.
Formally request to return after 2nd jab.

As places of work start returning, unless your firm is trying to work to sooner timescales (in which case take this up) you will need good reasons to not be going in, beyond the fact you feel it is risky, when Covid measures are actually in place.

When exactly will you feel it is safe for you to go in?

Communication will be key here. Voicing that you do expect to return to the office is important. Making clear when that point is likely to be is important and why you won’t feel happy until then. Asking them to consider allowing you to work from home until then is needed.

If you feel there are issues about it not being safe or within government guidelines for all workers,then voice that. If the issue is specifically about you, voice that.

You will have to communicate clearly. Vaguely saying you don’t feel safe won’t be good enough. Once government guidelines say workers can return, you need to expect to go in or provide very good reasons why not.

The government says wfh "if you can" - you clearly can - til 21 June

As you are not on the shielding list then the employer has every right to ask you to go in.
The only thing you can do is ask your doctor how at risk you are and then get a letter to ask to wfh until April.

Your whole office should be working from home if it’s possible. Clearly the fact that you’ve been able to do this shows it is.

I can’t believe we still live in a day and age where businesses still don’t trust their staff to work where it suits. If you don’t trust them to do a job you shouldn’t have hired them in the first place.

Your whole office should be working from home if it’s possible.

Excellent, teachers can teach from home now - it's been proven. Let's close schools.

No she’s not lucky they allowed her at all. The Govt advice has been to work from home.
I’d ask to go back after your second vaccine but you will need to go back, Covid is gong to be around forever

Unless you have a medical issue which means you must shield, or someoother issue that the doctor has certified as needing to remain out of work, generally feeling unsafe or that work is risky, is not a reason to remain at home, if the employer has deemed the job should be done from work.

It is the employers call on working from home not the employees. Yes, you can talk about it and if working from home is possible , but ultimately the employer decides. This is not a preference issue.

It is unfortunate OP did not talk on the phone about it all when they called her for that precise purpose. Staying silent implies agreement to what they said.

There is still time to talk to them. The best that’s possible is a chance to ask to remain at home until a specified point and to spell out why it feels necessary to OP specifically and hope for sympathy. But that sympathy cannot be guaranteed without medical reason, if they are bringing workers back.

Vague comments about not feeling safe won’t be good enough. You either need specific concerns and evidence that the workplace isn’t safe and Covid compliant for any workers , or specific health issues about yourself which means you shouldn’t be in. Without these, the best you can hope to do is delay the return. They might agree to a week or 2 weeks or until the 2nd jab, but youre calling on goodwill here and it will be a concession rather than a right. You need to recognise that and accept it might not be forthcoming.

Email tomorrow to ask to talk further. Mention your concerns etc in the email if you prefer. But communication will be the starting point.

Know you have no right to remain at home though, just on a the basis of a general feelinif risk which is unsubstantiated for the specific workplace or for yourself.

@toocold54

As you are not on the shielding list then the employer has every right to ask you to go in. The only thing you can do is ask your doctor how at risk you are and then get a letter to ask to wfh until April.

@toocold54 HR for the company have already said OP will be wfh until 6th April (so over 3 weeks beyond her 1st vaccination) they haven't expected her to return overnight. They are recalling her into the office while allowing a period of time for the vaccine to reach a good level of protection.

Work from home ‘if you can’ doesn’t place the onus on the individual employee to decide.

The employer has to make that call.

There can be some room for negotiation and flexibility and more in some workplaces than others.

However, it is the employers call and a general sense that returning to the world or to work isn’t good enough.

Many teachers this week feel it’s unsafe. If they are shielding (instruction by doctor not just a choice to do so) or pregnant in later stages, they remain at hom, not otherwise have to go in. Personal preference doesn’t come into it.