To expect my work to pay for broadband and other wfh expenses?

[Zazzii]

Since last March like many of us I have been working from home - I have a work laptop and phone and use our spare room. I had always worked the odd day at home when it was convenient for wating in for deliveries/ appointments etc but only once or twice a month. I, and line manager etc, were happy with this but it was seen as a bit of a perk

Now that working from home is established as the 'new normal' is it wrong for me to expect my employer to cover my broadband costs? They dont seem inclined to give us anything telling us that as we have it already there is no increased costs for us of using it for an additional 7 hours a day.

It is vital for the business that we are connected therefore the cost should be met by the business. Plans from teh summer are for us to continue working from home at least for part of the week so it will be long term.

I undertsand that they dont want to get involved in discussions about individual broadband contracts etc but a standard amount for all staff - say £30 a month?, £40?- should be part of our expenses claim. Or do I need to accept it as part of the new way of working?

Then there are other expenses which I have incurred over the past year - bigger things like the heating and electricity during the day but also small things like the coffee, tea and other refreshments I would normally expect to have at work which I have had to pay for.

I havent reduced any costs in other areas - my commute is 2 miles by bike so negilible cost and time saving.

Am I being unreasonable? Would it be unreasonable to try and rally my fellow workers to ask for this?

We had to upgrade to fibre to enable the amount of internet use we needed for dh to wfh. I think he should get something towards the additional cost as it’s £10 a month more but at the same time, I’m grateful he has a job.

People who are required to wear uniforms or special clothing for safety reasons often have it provided for free.

And? How is that relevant to my post or to the thread?

@m0therofdragons

We had to upgrade to fibre to enable the amount of internet use we needed for dh to wfh. I think he should get something towards the additional cost as it’s £10 a month more but at the same time, I’m grateful he has a job.

Personally I'm mildly surprised there haven't been more contention issues. Or maybe there have, but underreported.

@ShinyMe

Wait, your work paid for your tea and coffee? Surely that's not usual.

I've only ever worked for one employer who didn't - unless you were on the 10pm to 6.30am shift in which case you got a full meal at about 2am - love a bit of cottage pie and chips followed by sticky toffee pudding in the middle of the night

We don't get any subsidy for working at home though and I'm not sure I can bothered with the effort of claiming £1.20 a week - saving a lot more than that on travel.

Do self employed people working from home get free tea bags and wifi?
Most houses have these anyway as a normal cost of living.

@Clydie89

I work in HR and this came up in our work recently, with one employee campaigning for wfh payment on behalf of everyone wfh.

We have half the workforce who can't wfh as not office based jobs (factory),and around half who can or at least a proportion of their time. The consensus of the survey of those wfh was this person was being unreasonable basically. Many are saving on travel, childcare, convenience of getting deliveries /doing a shop/putting on a wash when you are in the house etc vs it all building up for the weekend etc.

Plus there's the added benefit of still having a job and not having to risk your health still going into work.

If your company has sold off the offices and is one of the few who are doing better during the pandemic than before it, then no harm in asking but I wouldn't go trying to rally the troops for free tea and coffee tbh.

Agree with this , in normal times wfh is a perk no travelling , can wear pyjamas if you want to saving getting ready time . God you can get up at 8.50 to be logged on for 9am . You can wait on for deliveries/ workmen etc . Yes the utilities is higher and yes to using own tea / coffee . But it outweighs the not popping out for lunch / travel costs ( but not the op) time to travel . Clothes / shoes for work / make up etc . You still have broadband regardless wfh or not so no I don’t think you should be able to claim that . Be careful what you wish for op that’s all I’ll say.

I'm working from home and don't even have a work laptop or phone, as is the case for many people. So yes, YABU.

For me the reduced commuting time and cost, less wear and tear on the car etc makes it well worth it

It's really shocking that some people are keeping the heating on all day when they're out at work. Don't you give a toss about the environment? There's no need to put it on at all in the morning, and you switch it on when you get back from work - surely??!!!

One point I haven't seen mentioned is accident cover.
Not sure what the situation is in the UK, but employees in Germany are covered during their commute and, obviously, when they are in the office. What happens if you have an accident at home during normal working hours?

I asked if work could pay for a desk for me. It was a firm no

Years ago I worked for a company (not UK) with a permanent WFH arrangement for some roles. The company paid the home broadband package cost, plus a percentage of the employee's rent for workspace purposes.

What happens if you have an accident at home during normal working hours?

As long as we have completed a risk assessment for working from home, we are covered.

@Beenaboutabit

I'm gobsmacked at many of theses replies.

Many companies have moved their business costs (utilities and maintenance) on to their employees.

If the business is saving money and the employees are paying more of their own money to enable that, there is a problem.

My utility bills are double what they were pre WFH and my employers have dropped.

That so many people on this post think that is acceptable astounds me. Of course, OP's original point about BB is moot given it appears BB costs have not changed. But the wider issue of businesses sponging of employees should be unacceptable to every worker.

I guess it depends on the overall picture - many of us are saving a fortune in money and time commuting.

If you usually drive or take the train to work your extra on bills will almost certainly be offset by no travel costs. I did improve my wifi package to better cope with WAH and 2 homeschooling but I appreciate the improvement anyway for better MN!

@Seventrees

It's really shocking that some people are keeping the heating on all day when they're out at work. Don't you give a toss about the environment? There's no need to put it on at all in the morning, and you switch it on when you get back from work - surely??!!!

Barely anyone on MN cares about the environment if caring about it impacts them, to be honest.

There was a thread recently by someone staying with family temporarily and the overwhelming consensus was that it would be totally unreasonable for them to put on more clothes if cold and they should definitely insist the host cranked up the heating.

@VictoriaLudorum

One point I haven't seen mentioned is accident cover. Not sure what the situation is in the UK, but employees in Germany are covered during their commute and, obviously, when they are in the office. What happens if you have an accident at home during normal working hours?

What do you mean by "covered"

I agree, I think it's outrageous. I have had to use my own laptop which is really not new or fast enough to cope with additional software I've needed to load into it. I use my aging iPad as a second screen so have to open all programmes twice since they're not connected.
I've also had to buy a headset and document camera to support my work. I decided to buy an office chair early on when my back started twinging from days stuck on a dining chair.
Have not been offered a penny despite working far in excess of normal hours to keep things running.

Meanwhile my DH has been given new laptop plus extra screen, mouse and headphones, ergonomic chair and was offered a desk if we didn't have one. Because he needs those tools to do his job.

Would it be unreasonable to try and rally my fellow workers to ask for this?

Hell yes @Zazzii YABU and if you try to rally your colleagues they'll all know you're tighter than a duck's arse, although with your comment about having to buy your own tea or coffee I suspect you already gave the game away when working in the office.

I haven't saved hugely, I live close enough to walk but did drive or use public transport in winter.
I've had the heating on a lot but probably have saved on work clothes.
We're spending more on food, I hardly used to eat in work but now DH is wfh he makes me food when he does his own.

I feel sorry for people who have genuine extra costs that are a struggle to pay for.

Some clown at work tried to claim travel expenses when he went to the office to collect a new laptop. That journey used to be his regular commute!

Personally, I think it would be nice if the workplace acknowledge that you are working from home and may need kit. I've had to buy a desk and chair, this is obviously more electric consumption with computers and lights and I have provided my own stationary. I refuse to buy a printer as I have no need outside of work, so am going to request one, given that it will be tax deductible from them I am assuming they won't decline it. I work in Local Government and the unions have requested a work from home allowance should be made to staff but I won't be holding my breath for this! Saving on travel is irrelevant - no workplace of mine has ever previously cared what I have spent on travel or how far I have had to go. Why should they now.

Feel free to quibble about tiny amounts. Good way to speed up the first round of redundancies.

Or, be glad to be employed.

Seems to vary a lot - exh was told he could take whatever he needed from his office last March resulting in me (despite being separated) helping him load a desk, chair, printer etc at 7pm on lockdown day, we weren't alone in the car park, looked like a coordinated burglary! The car was so laden, the many boxes of paper being one of the causes! They also get £25 a month tax free expenses (no receipt required) and can claim specific requirements.

I got nothing and had to use my own laptop

@Tinydinosaur

When you work in an office it's vital that you come to work dressed. That doesn't mean they have to buy your clothes. You choose to cycle, but you could choose to take taxis, work doesn't have to pay for that. They don't have to pay for your tea and coffee either. So no, they don't have to contribute towards your household bills.

I certainly never left the heating on all day!

It was set to go off at 8, around the time we left for work, and not come on again until 5. All through the early weeks of WFH, and since about September, it's been on all day. And extra electricity because of lights on most of the day.

The office is only a mile from my house, so no saving in commuting costs, and we have no dress code, so I wear the same as I would if I was still in the office (apart from those days when I stay in my pj's ).

In principle, I don't mind, because it's so convenient, but I might feel differently when I see how much my energy bills have gone up. But I also realise that most people don't live as close the office as I do, so are actually better off WFH as they don't have travel costs.

I've also lost quite a bit because of not getting mileage for using my car to meet clients. We get 45p a mile, and most months I did at least 150 - 200 miles. The cost of the petrol and wear and tear was minimal, so most that £60-90 a month subsidised my car tax and insurance.

I have had to use my own laptop which is really not new or fast enough to cope with additional software I've needed to load into it.

There are very few IT security policies that would cover people using their own kit. Quite aside from licensing issues for the various Office Components is the fact that most home computers versions of Windows aren't supported for commercial use.

There's also the issue of ensuring employees are using properly purchased versions of software.

And that's before you start to consider the implications of data being removed from the companies IT security oversight.

You aren't paying by the hour for your broadband. I don't expect my employer to pay for it and I've been a home worker for 11 years.

They pay for my printer ink (I wouldn't have a printer if it wasn't required for work) and stationery requirements and I claim through the tax man for my £6 a week WFH allowance.

Who the heck pays £30-40 a month for broadband - you're being ripped off if this is the case.

There are very few IT security policies that would cover people using their own kit.

We have one. Essentially a virtual desktop on a vpn.