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?

The world is beginning to move again. There is a greater good to us all being out and about. As you’re not shielding, I think you just have to accept you have to go back to work.

I’m a teacher with a health condition, but not on a shielding list. I’m back this week. It is what it is. My risk is offset by the benefits to other people. So we just have to get on.

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

I don't think it will come as a surprise to them if you ask not to go back until after your second dose. Two weeks after possibly. Perhaps you could negotiate and use some of your annual leave, if it comes to that.

I think most work places are slowly starting to reintroduce office working. If you left, would you be able to find something WFH in your industry?

@Totallyfedup1979

The world is beginning to move again. There is a greater good to us all being out and about. As you’re not shielding, I think you just have to accept you have to go back to work.

I’m a teacher with a health condition, but not on a shielding list. I’m back this week. It is what it is. My risk is offset by the benefits to other people. So we just have to get on.

And I haven’t had my first vacc yet either, though it should be soon!!! I hope,

@CockatooZoo

Why wouldn't you go to work? I presume you are being paid to do a job, and your employer has put measures in place to make the office safe?

Because she has been WFH, as the government advise you should if you can. Unless there's a massive back story about people picking up her workload etc., then it would make sense for her to continue WFH.

But that's the thing we don't know the full story. All we know is the employer had asked her to go back in to work, so they must feel that it is necessary for her to do so. We don't know if she can work fully 100% effectively from home, or if she can only do part of her role and colleagues are having to pick up the slack.

The OP should be asking about what's in place in the office to make it 'covid-secure', and considering the colleagues/team that she works with, rather than looking for ways to avoid going back.

I don't understand why employers want people back if they're working well at home.I'm NHS and we've had several office outbreaks, so we've been told to stay and wfh. More people in equals more risk

How on earth is 14 people in a room covid secure!! Ffs it’s an airborne virus.

I would ask them what measures are in place given its airborne a) and b) the advice is still work at home if you can so why would they need you back in, plus you’ve not been vaccinated, you’re not fully vaccinated until 3 weeks after your second vaccine so that’s nearly 4 months away!

I think you can WFH until you've had the 2nd dose and waiting the 2 week (??) amount of time afterwards. As you're not on the shielding list im not sure how much of a leg you have to stand on after this.

If yiu are physically incapable of doing the job, thats a potentially fair reason for dismissal.

@HoboSexualOnslow

I don't understand why employers want people back if they're working well at home.I'm NHS and we've had several office outbreaks, so we've been told to stay and wfh. More people in equals more risk

But who's judging what's "working well"? The individuals who want to work from home? Is that going to be a true and objective business judgement?

@WhereverIlaymyhat2021

How on earth is 14 people in a room covid secure!! Ffs it’s an airborne virus.

I would ask them what measures are in place given its airborne a) and b) the advice is still work at home if you can so why would they need you back in, plus you’ve not been vaccinated, you’re not fully vaccinated until 3 weeks after your second vaccine so that’s nearly 4 months away!

14 people in a room is fine. Ventilation Masks Staggered breaks and lunch

If you aren’t on the shielding list I would have expected you back in the office. It creates a real them and us culture. I think your employers are just trying to be fair to everyone and I think they’ve been very flexible this far.

What’s your proposal?
To wfh permanently? To wfh until second shot? Something else?

Is it that you are genuinely worried or that you've enjoyed WFH and would like to continue.

If the former, ask to go back after your 2nd vaccine. If the latter, ask for flexible work, but be prepared that it is refused and you'll have to mentally prepare for the commute and not so nice environment any longer.

@WhereverIlaymyhat2021

How on earth is 14 people in a room covid secure!! Ffs it’s an airborne virus.

I would ask them what measures are in place given its airborne a) and b) the advice is still work at home if you can so why would they need you back in, plus you’ve not been vaccinated, you’re not fully vaccinated until 3 weeks after your second vaccine so that’s nearly 4 months away!

They should have a risk assessment which would explain this.

Why would 14 people in a large, well ventilated room with adequate social distancing, extra cleaning of touch points, face coverings etc not be safe?

Obviously if it's 14 people in a shoebox of a room and squashed in like sardines that'd be different, but I love how so many people are just making wild assumptions.

Are you on the CEV list? They can't make you return if you are.

Would you like to continue WFH OP? Or is it just because of your illness that you dont want to go back?

I think you need to be careful if you're negotiating this, because you can very easily accross as if you dont want to come back

@LoudestCat14

Are you on the CEV list? They can't make you return if you are.

She isn't - she's said that upthread

Oops, missed where you said you aren't. If you're not CEV and have had the vaccine, not sure on what grounds you can refuse to return.

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

Why on earth didn’t you say anything on the phone? They called specifically to talk about this. You could have had a useful and practical discussion around your productivity, any concerns they have about you still WFH (team morale etc) and you could have pointed out the government guidance is still WFH if you can.

It’s unreasonable not to have a professional discussion about it.

Really if they want you back in you need to go back in. You aren't even on the shielding list, and have had your first vaccine. They're being fair letting you work from home until 6th April so the first dose will have had time to work, but then you don't really have an excuse.

In your position, I would request flexibility to continue working from home until you have had your second dose, then return to the office. Failing that, I think you may need to suck it up and go back in. You’re not officially vulnerable, you’ve got half the vaccine, the risk is reduced and the office will have had to take steps to ensure its COVID strategy.

@dontdisturbmenow

Is it that you are genuinely worried or that you've enjoyed WFH and would like to continue.

I don’t like wfh, I work more hours, I’ve even found myself working at the weekend.

I’m genuinely worried.

Have you seen a Risk Assessment for working in the office?

Places with good H&S practice will have one, will be reviewing it regularly, and will be keeping staff informed.

Contact your manager, your H&S officer, or HR and ask for the Risk Assessment, and take it from there. Working through such a document will help to keep emotions out of it. You may find all your concerns have been dealt with, or it may be that the risk to you is one they overlooked, in which case they can either put it right before you return or they agree to you continuing to WFH. Or whatever, but at least it's the starting point for a discussion.

Make sure you are able to clearly articulate your specific concerns, not just a gut feel that it won't be safe. Good luck.

@NoSquirrels

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

Why on earth didn’t you say anything on the phone? They called specifically to talk about this. You could have had a useful and practical discussion around your productivity, any concerns they have about you still WFH (team morale etc) and you could have pointed out the government guidance is still WFH if you can.

It’s unreasonable not to have a professional discussion about it.

@NoSquirrels

Because I felt bad asking for more time at home.

HR said I will have protection from the vaccine and no one elSe in the office has been vaccinated yet.

But that’s because they’re not eligible yet.