to say No to handing over work equipment?

[DiscoBelle]

I’m currently off work sick, I’ve sent in a self cert for this week.
ive had a text message today from the office asking me to go to a location I work at and leave a piece of equipment for a collegue elsewhere to use in my absence incase they need it.

thing is, each colleague has their own piece of this equipment which we all have to sign for.
im not comfortable with this as if anything happens to it, it’s on my head.
im sure they want me out and that’s why they’re asking this, as there’s no reason for another colleague to use mine when each and every one of us has our own!

Assuming your only objection is that the equipment is assigned to you, just ask them to amend the log book (or whatever it is you have to sign) to reflect that your colleague is responsible for it between x date and x date. Then there can’t be this comeback that you seem fearful of.

Failure to follow a management instruction without a clear justification is a disciplinary issue in and of itself. So don’t gift them an opportunity to take you through a formal procedure by refusing something trivial.

Hope you’re feeling better soon.

Tell them u are sick, if they want equipment they need to organise collection and you will then sign it over to the company. If anything happens to the equipment, it is then not your responsibility

As @Yellowsubmarineunderthesea said.

If you are off sick then you are too sick to go to a work location.

Due to having a bad employer in the past and hearing about other horrible ones, it may also be away of allowing them to have a good look at you to say you are faking your sickness.

@Tightropewalker67 The OP has clear legal justification she is off on sick leave.

If she was able to work she would be able to go to the location to drop the equipment off.

She just needs to tell them to come and collect it. They then have to be careful not to harass her in doing so. So they should sort out a courier as they are independent.

She hasn’t made any reference to her sickness being the reason that she would refuse though, has she? Why are you inserting assumptions into the situation? The only thing she has said is that she can’t understand why a colleague would need to use her piece of equipment when everyone has their own.

The OP can, of course, ask for someone to collect it from her if she is indeed too ill to take it in herself. Her employer is not being unreasonable by asking the question, and she wouldn’t be unreasonable to say that she’s too poorly if that’s the case. She needs to work with them to give it back though.

But what if it was 2020 and the Op has covid? It's irresponsible of her employer to ask her to go to work, even to drop something off. Plus she won't be insured if there's an accident as she technically is not legally allowed to be in work.
They are being unreasonable to expect you to go to work. A medical expert has said you are not fit to go there.

Tell them you're not well enough to drive

But it’s not 2020, is it? It’s 2024 and her employer have only asked her a question. She’s a grown up and can say that she’s too unwell if that’s the case, and they can then make an alternative arrangement to take back the equipment.

Also, a medical professional hasn’t said anything in this circumstance. The OP clearly wrote that she’s self-certified for the week.

If it's work equipment, they are entitled to do whatever they want with it. But you can tell them you're too sick to travel and they will have to make other arrangements.

You are off sick.

You are under no obligation to acknowledge the text let alone to respond to it.

Fuck em. Their problem - dont make it yours. Ignore Ignore Ignore.

Sorry I didn't explain that analogy well. What I was trying to say is that what if she was carrying a very serious bug that could harm other people, like covid had the potential to do in 2020.

She should not be asked this question. Full stop. It's illegal to ask her to attend work.

You're sick so you shouldn't be asked to take the equipment anywhere.

However, if they want to arrange collection, I think you should try to comply with that.

You're off sick - therefore too ill to travel

Let them make arrangements to collect it from you

Get it in writing, on email, just in case