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?

@Bluntness100

Some people are posting some right nonsense on here. It’s quite shocking after a year of this crap people still don’t know the rules.

Wfh is at the employers discretion. That’s it. It’s their call. She can request, she can discuss, but ultimately it’s their decision, and it’s irrelevant if some random on mumsnet thinks it’s unreasonable, or if the op thinks she does an excellent job from home. They want all the staff back and no further exceptions

The op is not shielding, she’s had the first vaccination, her employers have been more than generous letting her work from home for so long, when the others had to go in.

They want her back in now, and there is nothing wrong in their decision making criteria there, if she was shielding or unvaccinated it would be different. She’s not.

She can try to negotiate but really at this time it’s simoly because she has anxiety she doesn’t want to go in, and bringing that as a new condition to justify staying home isn’t likely to be well received.

People need to stop posting erroneous stuff. If you don’t know don’t answer.

This!!

@Babyboomtastic

And failure to follow guidance may have an effect from an employment law perspective.*
*
Forgot to say ..... so would a refusal to comply with a reasonable request from your employer (i.e. turn up)

@WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants

Boris said at one of the briefings that employers that didn't permit employees to WFH needed to be reported/taken to task/prove it couldn't be done.

I don't recall seeing that, but if he did say it it's not set out in any of the emergency legislation so who was he suggesting to report it to?

Guidance is not law. Legislation is.

Guidance doesn't infer rights. Legislation does.

Why do you think you’re a special case?

If you won’t return to the workplace it’s probably time to start looking for a new job that can be done 100% WFH

Reading this thread is like the whole group of people whole are at increased risk (moderate to high risk) but are not shielding have been wiped of the face of the earth.

I know this is the MN Covid board, but there can’t be this many uninformed people, surely.

Few points - the government has done an amazing job of terrifying the non-vulnerable, hasn't it?

If you're not shielding OP then you have two options. Go back to work in April, or hand in your notice.

Oops. It’s AIBU, not the Covid board.

That would explain a lot.

You're not covered until 3 weeks after the first vaccine and even then that's not a high percentage. You should ask them to give you another 3.5months so that you are covered with both shots.

This. Its minimum three weeks until you are covered and its max of 12 weeks for the second vaccination. Therefore, you have 12 weeks before you are vaccinated. I'm not in the UK and that is the info. on the info leaflet I got when I got the Astra Zeneca vaccination.

If the second vaccine is longer than 12 weeks, then the second dose isn't going to be as effective. Thats presuming you have had Astra Zeneca? I'm not in the UK and that is the info. we are getting for Astra Zeneca.

You should have your shielding letter then which currently says CEV people should continue to shield until end of March even if they have had both vaccines. You can just send them a copy of your email/letter.

I started this thread 4 days ago, as I could see how things might be going
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4183710-Working-from-home-or-going-back-to-the-office
Not sure if there is anything in there that might help you op?

@Amichelle84 the OP doesn't have a shielding letter

What exactly are you worried about? You actually have no grounds. If they want you to return to the office, then they have the right to request that you do so.

The guidance is to wfh if you can. This hasn't changed. I am surprised by some of the comments on this thread. Myself and nearly all of my friends are still wfh and there is no pressure at the moment to go back. There are a few colleagues in my office who have been going in but that is because they said they prefer it in the office.

@Amichelle84

You should have your shielding letter then which currently says CEV people should continue to shield until end of March even if they have had both vaccines. You can just send them a copy of your email/letter.

She’s not shielding or in that category.

And work from home means if your employer deems it acceptable if people are unsure. Not if the employee does.

My advice would be to go back to you original email exchange and see what the wording was about you going back or getting signed off. You might find a way to show that you expected to go back after your second shot + 3 weeks.

I assume the reference to the brand is about when the different vaccines become effective, Dishmatic. It is slightly different between Pfizer and Astra Zeneca.

theconversation.com/delaying-the-second-covid-vaccine-dose-a-medical-expert-answers-key-questions-152771

Actually, I expect there is more recent data now. The data from Scotland suggests that both vaccines make a huge difference:

www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n523

Personally, I would feel ok about being in the office 3 weeks after the 1st vaccine. I understand you want to wait. If you are in a union, I'd check with them about the 'right' to work at home. If you have a disability, as opposed to a specific health condition, you could ask if working at home counts as a reasonable adjustment (I think).

Read the rest of the answers after I posted.

It seems to me that your employer has been more than reasonable so far and if everyone else is going in I can see why they want you to do the same , and there is really no good reason why you can’t .

Then if you aren't CEV why wouldn't you want to go back? I'm sure they have implemented safe working as much as possible, you could work together to find a good solution to get you back to the office, I.e staggered arrival/leaving time but they are within their rights to ask you to start working from the office again.

I bet you go to the shops and will see family and friends when you can, so whats the difference?

Working from home is still working (unless you aren't being as effective from home, and that is objectively evidenced)

The vaccine is very effective after 3 weeks, you don't need the second dose before you can go back to work

BUT the government guidance is to work from home if you can until June.

The get out for employers is "if you can" but you have proven you can - except see my point one.

It's not an easy one OP though I do think the vaccine makes a difference - do we really not trust its effectiveness despite the evidence?

If you are able to WFH effectively, then I am baffled as to why you are being asked to return to the office. 'Because others are' is not a reason. Demanding 'presence' in the office is a sign of very poor management.

Do you have a trade union? If so your rep should be able to sort this out for you.

If not, email HR saying you aren't sure why they have requested you come back to the office on x date. As previously agreed you plan to return two weeks after your vaccination is complete on Y date.

The risk will be very small for you OP. I don't see the issue.

@BlueSussex

Do you have a trade union? If so your rep should be able to sort this out for you.

If not, email HR saying you aren't sure why they have requested you come back to the office on x date. As previously agreed you plan to return two weeks after your vaccination is complete on Y date.

It was never previously agreed she’d come back after a second dose You can’t just make stuff up!

If you’re not shielding they’ve done more than they had to and more than many employers letting you work from home this long. They’re also allowing you 3 weeks after the vaccine before you go back (and high doesn’t take 3 weeks to have any effect, it builds up in that time). There’s been a second round of shielding letters sent to the most vulnerable and if you didn’t receive one I think your employer has been very accommodating, I would stick with them.