Resigning and return of work equipment

[ann4812]

Unfortunately I have resigned from my job, been there a long time but things have changed the past couple of years and I’ve found myself more and more unhappy and stressed.

I have been signed off with work related stress, during which I have resigned, due to finding another job that hopefully will be better. My sick note runs to the end of my notice so u won’t be returning now.

Within 2 days of resigning, I have been contacted multiple times by supervisors, HR, colleagues stating that my work equipment (laptop, uniform, access card etc) needs to be returned within 2 days. My notice period runs for a month.

I am aware that this is company property and will need returning, and I am of course planning to do so. But AIBU to find this a bit much when I’m off with work related stress for them to be demanding everything back straight away?

For context, I’ve genuinely been unwell, although I have a new job I am down about the end of my career as I thought it was going to be. Where I need to return my equipment to is over an hour from me, and I am likely going to need someone to come with me to support me due to how I feel about work at the moment and the anxiety it’s causing me and has caused me.

I have obviously not been using my work equipment while I have been off sick and don’t plan to do so, it’s just the pressure being put on me within days to get it back. AIBU or is this normal?

It's their stuff, just return it. If you were well enough to look for another job, pass the interview and get the position, you can return the few items of theirs to them. Stop overdramatising it.

It can’t been that much of a security issue if it’s been sitting in your home for however long. Sending it by reputable courier is absolutely fine. Just do it.

Don't ask, tell.

Tell them you are unwell so if they need it now, they need to send a courier to collect it. You'll still need to package it up.

If they reply and say "no that doesn't work for us" you say "ok I'll keep it safe here until it does work for you".

I have a colleague who joined our team after a maternity leave and she still has her previous work laptop in a box in a cupboard because they've not collected it!

I don't think the OP is overdramatising at all. The HR team are, asking for it back within two days.

Two days is a ridiculous deadline. The OP might not be sick and might be on leave!

OP has addressed this. Instead of accusing her of ‘over dramatising it’, maybe have a go at reading her posts?

Just bite the bullet and get it over and done with.

You are inadvertently putting more pressure on yourself by letting this situation linger.

Be brave, it’s time to close the door on it.

Given the reasoning in the post before this, if that’s not good enough for them then leave it until the very last day of your employment. If you were not on sick leave and we’re still working they wouldn’t have your laptop until 5pm on that day anyway.

Just return their equipment, for Heaven's sake...

She has never said she has no intention of doing this, I don’t know what makes everyone doubt it?

Do you have any sympathetic team mates or acquaintances at work? I’d contact one of them and say, “as you probably heard I haven’t been doing very well, and I have quit my job. I need to drop off my equipment/stuff to work, please could I ask a huge favour - would you be able to meet me at (nearby street) on Monday lunchtime and hand it back to them for me? I just cannot face going backzl

So this is actually a good point. As you are off on stress related work leave OP, how do you know you will be ready to start a new job? Are you not concerned that if you are too ill to return your equipment to your current employer that the stress of a new job might be too much?

Its good to get a bit more background. OP we don't know as we weren't there. If this is a large company they will have investigated it fully and honestly you won't always know the full extent of what and who they investigated. It wasn't upheld (as most of them aren't) and the fact the person got a promotion doesn't matter. If there was an investigation and they weren't found guilty they can't have this hang around their neck for the rest of their career.

Going on stress leave because a grievance didn't go your way is pretty normal as most people do believe they are right in these instances - and it's always down to interpretation. If it was that difficult to work with them to the point you went on stress leave why wouldn't you want to move? This kind of anxiety and stress may well follow you.

work related stress should have been enough of an explanation but unfortunately there are a lot of arseholes on this site - very much evident on this thread

I’m sorry you’ve had so much trolling and so many unpleasant replies from these idiots.

I hope work comes back to you with a solution.

good luck with the new job and you will feel better once you’ve severed ties with this place.

They should send a courier - if they contact you again just say if you let me know when the courier is coming I'll have everything ready. I had a team member resign while off sick and it was IT standard practice to send a courier for the laptop and chair etc - and this is public sector where it's impossible to get to spend money.

If you can go in at a weekend they may wonder why you can’t come in on a work day. I get your dilemma though, I wouldn’t be happy returning to work.

This is a really tone deaf response @ann4812 and I hope you ignore this poster.

my experience and that of many people who go to employment tribunals is that large companies regularly fail to properly investigate workplace issues and will instead choose to further victimise the victim of bullying/harassment if necessary to protect reputation in the hope that, like op, the victim will choose to leave rather than take action.

op clearly didn’t ‘go on stress leave’ because of a grievance.How infantile to suggest that doctors fill out official medical forms with made-up nonsense. Op clearly developed an stress-related illness due to the situation at work, probably because it was not properly managed.

And @Besafeeatcake your previous post at 16.10 suggesting that op won’t be able to take on her new job because she’s too fragile is genuinely one of the nastiest things I’ve ever read on here. Shame on you

@ann4812 💐

If you do have to go back in person with someone else make it at a time that’s convenient for you and if it helps have coffee out before or after you do this.

I think the OPs proposal to go in at the weekend is reasonable.

Shame on your for jumping to conclusions and assuming it wasn't out of concern given her current state. Your jumping to conclusions without understanding made this one of the nastiest responses I have ever read. Who made you queen of all understanding and knowledge?

It's a widely known fact that doctors can only go by what their patients are telling them and stress can't be diagnosed as such. So no, no naive or unrealistic.

They absolutely can use a courier.

I work somewhere that security is extremely important, we use a well known courier to collect laptops.

The courier brings a special box into which the person put the laptop and then it’s security sealed at the door.

All quite straightforward.

I got a financial settlement from a company after I tried to resign a couple of times. Was so unhappy my manager agreed to let me go but agreed to pay me as a part of the settlement. Anyway during the discussions HR asked for all equipment to be returned. I refused to do anything that involved effort on my part and requested a courier to collect anything they wanted which they agreed to!

Because someone could definitely come with me on a weekend (my friends all have jobs and work during the week).

If I was taking the approach of putting everything in my locker etc, it would also mean no one I work with would be there at the time.

This isn’t what they’ve asked me to do though, they’ve asked me to bring it to the head office, but it was just a thought of how I could resolve it.

Well given the tenor of your contributions throughout this thread I am comfortable that my conclusions are robust. 👑

Yes she does, when off sick, an employee should not be stressed and harassed by their employer, contact should be reasonable, they owe the employee a duty of care.

The OP can suggest they come and collect the equipment, other wise wait until well again.

This happened to a friend of mine who was bullied out of her job. HR sent her a letter to say that they were deducting £1600 from her final settlement for a 4 year old Mac book, plus £200 for software on it; and £250 for a run of the mill Motorola mobile phone. It reduced her final pay to next to nothing.

She returned everything but they insisted she do so using their courier and then they deducted £60 courier costs from her settlement.