AIBU - only one without a desk

[Nurse1980]

Hi,

I recently returned to work following an episode of sickness.

We all had our own desk in the office (including myself). I’ve come back, and a six month temporary member of staff is now at the desk that was mine.

So Im having to use a laptop and sit at a filing cabinet, as I’ve no desk. I’m also disadvantaged as our job is much easier with two screens (all desks have two screens).

I’ve brought it up with my manager and was told that she was working on it.

I’m not sure if I’m overreacting (been off with stress and PTSD) and just finished my phased return. So I’m more sensitive than normal perhaps?

Just adding my note that a Display Screen Equipment assessment (DSE) is a legal requirement (The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992)
It is a dreadful situation when they are trying to make a cabinet into your desk and is completely unacceptable I hope you get this sorted out soon, problems may not be obvious initially but they are allowing you to build up muscular skeletal problems for the future :(

Good for you OP. What an absolute joke. Surely a desk is a minimum expectation of a desk job!

When I worked for the NHS we used to call it the No Hope Service in relation to working conditions (not patients I hasten to add).

Follow up the phone call with an email summarising the conversation, cc HR and send it separately to your home email and to your trade union rep. Request a full workstation assessment to be carried out urgently.

Keep a written record (at home) of everything that happens including dates and the names and job titles of those concerned.

I would speak to HR as that is not a proper work station using a filing cabinet. How ridiculous! I would make it known you aren’t happy to your line manager and give her the option to sort it or you raise with HR. Take a photo of your work space and the other desks so you have proof.

Somewhere on your intranet there will information about both DSE workstation assessments and Occupational health. Find it and email to request both. Copy in line manager. Be clear what the problem is - no monitor etc. Is chair a proper one?

A laptop long term is not good - it's a recipe for back and neck trouble. At the VERY least in short term whilst they sort it out properly, you should have a separate keyboard and mouse plugged into laptop on a riser (or even a cardboard box!) to get laptop screen to eye level.

OP, I had a breakdown last year and really went through the MH mill.

The person who bullied me and contributed has now left, work have been amazing at settling me back in.

You need to go above your manager as this is not in any way shape or form acceptable.

When I was still working for the NHS my colleague and I had an agreement to share a desk. She had a bad back and had a special chair which I also used but never adjusted it so it suited her. You need to be a bit more demanding and insist on a proper work station. Contact OH and HR and see what they suggest. You are not being difficult it’s perfectly reasonable to want a room allocating to you to work in. Make it their problem not yours!

I would tell them I’m working from home until a desk is set up, it’s a breach of health and safety to not have a correct height desk and chair.

You can go for a claim for constructive dismissal, speak to your union

Sorry I’ve not read the full thread but can you telephone your trusts occ health department? In our trust you can self refer. They are usually quite big on DSE and sitting/ working correctly to protect your back ect.

this happens to me a lot where I work because I’m PT and do 2 days at home and 2 days in the office. I could come in some days and there would literally be nowhere to sit. I couldn’t fathom why my manager wanted me coming in when I could have easily worked at home and actually get more done without all the distractions. Luckily we moved to a bigger office so it shouldn’t happen again (hopefully) it’s not right and I completely get how it makes you feel.
Manager also kept organising staff lunches for days when I was working at home so that I’d be able to cover phones. I felt like a spare or something.

Mumsnet at its best. Good luck, Nurse 1980.

What an appalling way to welcome you back! You can't work without a desk. It's a basic requirement they're not providing you with.

I was not at all surprised when you said you work for the NHS! This sounds typical of the complete disregard they have for their employees who are just expected to put up and shut up! If you are working from a laptop anyway is it not possible to do this from home? I would definitely be raising this with HR and Occupational Health, as this is completely unacceptable and is a form of discrimination. Good luck.

OP you are absolutely NOT over-reacting. I was in your situation after I returned from maternity leave. After trying to claim back what belonged to me for many months to no avail, I ended up leaving the company and luckily joining a better one which pays better too. Still remember how distressed I was...

wow OP what a sh1tty thing to happen - it's almost as if they want you to leave - no-one should have to work in such circumstances - how long is the temp there for - is she/he lined up for your job ?
go to the union - totally unacceptable

This isn't "hot desking"

If you read what OP has said, she is the only one without a desk. When she came in early to take a desk, she was told to give it to the temp.

I am not surprised to hear you work for NHS....

Good luck. I’m sure someone saw this thread or thought shit, we can’t make someone bent over a filing cabinet as that’s a work based injury lawsuit waiting to happen.

Definitely seconding the comment re keeping a written record of everything - at home! One of the ways the public sector (at least) "plays things" is deliberately losing anything written that might be helpful to the employee concerned. I've found they lost something of mine before now - but I'd already anticipated they would "lose" it and made a copy in advance for when they did so. The original never did show up. "Deliberate inefficiency" is one of the weapons that the public sector at least employs (though I expect that one is prevalent too in the private sector).

Talk to HR.
Mention how you feel that your manager is highlighting your medical absence and not accommodating your return. Mention feeling removed and isolated from the team
Talk about the inability to appropriately do your job, due to lack of resources - desk, chair, second screen.
Ask HR about ergonomic assessment.