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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Employer says I must return to office

497 replies

Dishmatic · 09/03/2021 14:18

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?

OP posts:
Bluesheep8 · 09/03/2021 15:20

It really depends on the brand you get tbh

Do you mean the type of vaccine?

Letsallscreamatthesistene · 09/03/2021 15:21

Yes! Sorry, that wasnt clear at all.

The efficiency of the first dose differs depending on the brand.

Bluntness100 · 09/03/2021 15:21

Op, you can only talk to them and try to get them to agree to extend it to your second dose. Legally they can say no ans you have no come back. You’re not classified as cev and to shield, the office is deemed Covid safe and you’re vaccinated with a high level of protection from serious illness.

If they say no, The ball is then in your court, resign or go back in.

dontdisturbmenow · 09/03/2021 15:22

Could you discuss arrangement and you working in a smaller office until.your second test?

Bluntness100 · 09/03/2021 15:23

The advice is still wfh if you can

But she can’t, if her employer says no. They are legally allowed to say no. So the point is moot. It’s not down to the individual it’s down to the employer. They get to call it.

IntermittentParps · 09/03/2021 15:24

Obviously they can't ask you to go back until at least after your second dose.

What jumps out to me is actually that you told a colleague about booking it and then lo and behold had an email from work asking to talk about returning to the office. Was the colleague someone involved in staffing/HR? Or unconnected? What I'm getting at is, did this colleague basically gossip in the office about you having your jab and HR/management picked up on it and have acted on it?

TheKeatingFive · 09/03/2021 15:25

Obviously they can't ask you to go back until at least after your second dose.

Yes they can, she isn’t shielding

SteelMack · 09/03/2021 15:28

@saffire

"The advice is still wfh if you can."

Yes. Which the employer surely is entitled to decide, given that they're paying the wages.

user1487194234 · 09/03/2021 15:28

You can ask for more time,but ultimately the Company can insist of you going back

Lots of our team think they are effectivley from home,lots of them aren't really

SafferUpNorth · 09/03/2021 15:29

@Bluntness100

With respect, no you're wrong. If your job can be physically done from home (as it sounds the OP's is), then your employer cannot insist you return to the office. It's not their call. www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52567567

@Dishmatic: see above article. Get in touch with the Health and Safety Executive

SteelMack · 09/03/2021 15:29

@LemonadeBudget

The advice is still wfh if you can

And if the employer says no, that means you can't.

Exactly!
changi · 09/03/2021 15:30

Obviously they can't ask you to go back until at least after your second dose.

Of course they can. My employer makes exceptions for those shielding but not anyone else. I'll be be back in before my first dose, never mind second, as will a lot of my colleagues.

TheKeatingFive · 09/03/2021 15:31

With respect, no you're wrong. If your job can be physically done from home (as it sounds the OP's is), then your employer cannot insist you return to the office

They’ve quite obviously given substantial wiggle room for employers to make their own minds up here. I doubt the OP will achieve anything.

SteelMack · 09/03/2021 15:31

@IntermittentParps

Obviously they can't ask you to go back until at least after your second dose.

What jumps out to me is actually that you told a colleague about booking it and then lo and behold had an email from work asking to talk about returning to the office. Was the colleague someone involved in staffing/HR? Or unconnected? What I'm getting at is, did this colleague basically gossip in the office about you having your jab and HR/management picked up on it and have acted on it?

"Obviously they can't ask you to go back until at least after your second dose".

Care to share what information you have that says this?

emilyfrost · 09/03/2021 15:31

[quote SafferUpNorth]@Bluntness100

With respect, no you're wrong. If your job can be physically done from home (as it sounds the OP's is), then your employer cannot insist you return to the office. It's not their call. www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52567567

@Dishmatic: see above article. Get in touch with the Health and Safety Executive[/quote]
With respect, you need to properly read the article you’ve linked to.

JovialNickname · 09/03/2021 15:31

@Letsallscreamatthesistene

I think scaring us was part of the government plan...

Totally agree with this

It's true - statistically it's extremely low risk that you will get anything worse than slight flu symptoms, especially if you were not on the shielding list, and if you've had your first jab.

But that's what happens when you scare the shit out of people for a year. The government wanted people in even low-risk groups to be frightened of Covid, and now they are. This is going to be a real problem going forward because a large swathe of the population still feel very unsafe.

andyindurham · 09/03/2021 15:33

What a lot of good little wage slaves posting on here. As far as we know, the OP is managing her work perfectly effectively from home and has done for about a year now. Therefore, clearly, she can work from home.

Government advice is still to work from home if you can, which I take to mean 'if your job is one that can feasibly be done from home' rather than 'if your boss lets you'. Therefore, if the employer wants anyone back in the office who is reluctant to return, it is up to the employer to demonstrate that the work cannot adequately be done from home.

Clearly, employers can reopen COVID-safe offices and people who feel they are able to work better outside of their home should be able to work from an office. But just like WFH should not be seen as a one-size fits all solution, nor should office-based work.

Me, I'm happy working from home and have done so for years. But I'd love to see a few libraries and cafes open so I can get a change of scenery and escape my family to help me get things done.

emilyfrost · 09/03/2021 15:33

Obviously they can't ask you to go back until at least after your second dose.

IntermittentParps Of course they can. They never even had to let her work from home in the first place.

blue25 · 09/03/2021 15:34

You need to go back in if your employer needs you in. Surely no one agreed you could wfh forever.

Bluesheep8 · 09/03/2021 15:35

But the jobs OP's colleagues are doing can't be done from home then? Op said colleagues had been in the office throughout...

TheKeatingFive · 09/03/2021 15:36

As far as we know, the OP is managing her work perfectly effectively from home and has done for about a year now. Therefore, clearly, she can work from home

That’s not her call.

It’s not actually difficult. Employers get to set the place of work, not employees. Government guidance has given them lots of wiggle room to get people back into the office when they like.

squirrelloveranon · 09/03/2021 15:36

If you've not been advised to shield it would appear you are less vulnerable to COVID than you think you are and your company has treated you very well allowing you to stay at home for 12 months. If you are genuinely so worried why didn't you say anything on the phone about your concerns?

If you can't hack going back to the office like everyone else, you need to find another job.

cinammonbuns · 09/03/2021 15:37

@SafferUpNorth the article you posted does not say that at all.

SteelMack · 09/03/2021 15:38

@andyindurham

What a lot of good little wage slaves posting on here. As far as we know, the OP is managing her work perfectly effectively from home and has done for about a year now. Therefore, clearly, she can work from home.

Government advice is still to work from home if you can, which I take to mean 'if your job is one that can feasibly be done from home' rather than 'if your boss lets you'. Therefore, if the employer wants anyone back in the office who is reluctant to return, it is up to the employer to demonstrate that the work cannot adequately be done from home.

Clearly, employers can reopen COVID-safe offices and people who feel they are able to work better outside of their home should be able to work from an office. But just like WFH should not be seen as a one-size fits all solution, nor should office-based work.

Me, I'm happy working from home and have done so for years. But I'd love to see a few libraries and cafes open so I can get a change of scenery and escape my family to help me get things done.

As far as we know, the OP is managing her work perfectly effectively from home and has done for about a year now. Therefore, clearly, she can work from home.

As far as we know .... cos that's what the OP has told us. I'm sure her employer knows way more than any of us on here how effective her working from home has been.

Bluntness100 · 09/03/2021 15:39

Government advice is still to work from home if you can, which I take to mean 'if your job is one that can feasibly be done from home' rather than 'if your boss lets you

Then you take it wrong.