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Original poster

Anyone else being told they cant WFH?

40 replies

Hmmmmminteresting · 17/03/2020 22:00

My job is non essential, but for a company who WILL remain open during a lock down. But my job is not essential to what the company would provide during this period. They have provided WFH methods for a select few and then run out for the rest of us less important ones, but we have been told that because we are working for a company that will remain open even in the event of a total lock down, we basically need to just accept what we are being told. This is a shitty thing to do isn't it

OP posts:
Original poster
Hmmmmminteresting · 18/03/2020 05:58

Just me then Sad second night without sleep. Off to work I go...

OP posts:
OrangeCinnamon · 18/03/2020 06:01

Sorry @Hmmmminteresting. Have you seen the ACAS /PHE sdvice? They really must enable if they can.

BroomstickOfLove · 18/03/2020 06:03

Everyone in a public facing job which is still open has no option to work from home. I'll be working in a tiny and inessential shop, handling money, getting close to random strangers and generally being exposed.

Lifeisbeaut · 18/03/2020 06:04

Yes. Me too. I am so scared. I feel terrified this morning and can’t stop crying.

Bloomburger · 18/03/2020 06:08

DH is already on his way to work, train then tube as he has had an operation on his foot and can't walk properly! He was supposed to be WFH but with the economy like it is he hasn't a choice now.

Oldestchild90s · 18/03/2020 06:08

I'm in the same boat. It's impossible for me to work from home! We all decided i will have no contact with any of the public and we'll go from there! It's a little scary to be honest!

midnightstar66 · 18/03/2020 06:11

I work in a school, I can't work from home! We are going in to a super contagious environment each day, we don't even have hand sanitiser. It's possible we'll remain open for emergency service staffs children even in a lockdown situation. Many, many people can't work from home.

Original poster
Hmmmmminteresting · 18/03/2020 06:15

@orangeCinnamon they have enabled WFH for around 40% of us. Theyve now ran out of laptops etc and so the rest of us have been told we have to go in. I have 2 very young dc and one has very bad asthma and chest problems. I am terrified

OP posts:
SleepingStandingUp · 18/03/2020 06:15

It's worth keeping an eye open in case the guidelines change Re working from home.

Have the company advised why you can't? Do you meet any of the at risk factors? Are you customer fwcing

Toffeewhirl · 18/03/2020 06:19

Not just you, OP. I could easily work from home, but our boss has been slow to react to the situation and mostly in denial about the severity of it. Yesterday, I Iost patience so I emailed to say I was going to start working from home from now on. He was furious! I was summoned to his office and told that the government hasn't given everyone the right to wfh.

He didn't seem to grasp that this isn't just about avoiding personal risk - it's about protecting other people, especially those who are vulnerable (the elderly, etc). And it's about flattening the curve of infection so that the NHS can cope.

The trouble is that the government have advised wfh, but have left it up to businesses to decide. Maybe that will change later this week.

In the meantime, I'm hoping that our company will sort out its priorities.

whymewhyme · 18/03/2020 06:21

I work in a care home, i will be working !

winesolveseverything · 18/03/2020 06:23

Both of us front line NHS emergency services here.. It's business as usual, nothing has changed apart from trying to gear up for being busier from what is our already busy norm...

Not worried, For almost 20 years I have spent most days in contact with every sort of bodily fluid imaginable some of which is already contaminated with hepatitis/hiv/c-diff etc etc.. We are still touching patients, still coming within a metre of them... I just wash my hands as normal!

I need school to stay open so I can work as absolutely no wfh here.

cortex10 · 18/03/2020 06:24

Our public authority has only got enough network links for about a third of staff to wfh at any time and priority has to be given to vulnerable colleagues meaning everyone else is being asked to come into the office even on days when they might usually have worked from home.

Parkandride · 18/03/2020 06:34

I can work from home but am providing "office representation" for my department. There's no one there! I can hide myself away and wash my hands a lot so it's ok. I imagine it'll change shortly

Dk20 · 18/03/2020 06:42

My company have split us roughly in half.
We all have the ability to work from home, but they have said anyone vulnerable with underlying conditions can wfh for now, the rest must come in to the office.
I don't have an underlying condition but have a cough from an illness I had 6 weeks ago. I've been told to wfh until that's gone.
Tbh I dont think I'll be rushing back to the office and time soon, I'll be dragging this out to stay at home as long as I can.
It really makes me mad when people are being advised to wfh where possible. To me, this means that anyone who has the ability to work from home should be.

Dk20 · 18/03/2020 06:43

Btw, we have done a test day to test the systems and see if it could cope if everyone WFH. There were no major issues, only a few hiccups so they cant use this excuse either

JosephineDeBeauharnais · 18/03/2020 06:47

IT infrastructure is the problem. Not many businesses have enough in place to support everyone wfh who could. They’ve been caught short. I wfh regularly but have now been told I must go in as not in a high risk group and others need it more. I’ll be spending more time travelling and in the office than usual 😏

sittingonacornflake · 18/03/2020 06:47

My company has bought in extra laptops so the majority of staff will work from home. They are building them all now and a lot are already done and staff are home.

Everyone who is in a non priority role (so secretaries really) will be sent home in a few days on full pay while the rest of us work from home. Very fair I think.

A very small skeleton staff have been told they have to remain in the office like post room and some admin because there are some tasks that have to be done in the office.

Dontrainonmyparade · 18/03/2020 06:55

My husband’s firm has decided staff can WFH on alternate days. Not entirely sure what difference that makes Hmm

tinytemper66 · 18/03/2020 07:00

Teacher here so getting ready to go in and face all the questions about how long we will be in school for x30...although numbers are dwindling and as staff we are down to the bare minimum. But we do what we can.

midnightstar66 · 18/03/2020 07:04

@tinytemper66 our staffing levels are good but class attendance extremely low... expecting even less today!

TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 18/03/2020 07:06

I work in a mircobiology lab, theres no way I could work from home, and I wouldn't want to bring the nasties I work with home anyway. Yes it'd be nice to work from home, but not all roles can be done at home!

Original poster
Hmmmmminteresting · 18/03/2020 07:18

I'm not disputing the fact that some cannot WFH. I'm saying I could and my job is non essential, therefore why am I not being allowed to social distance as per the goverment advice....

OP posts:
midnightstar66 · 18/03/2020 07:20

You've explained why though? The company don't have the means to allow everyone and they need to prioritise those at most risk first and many other ways of working out who goes and who stays

Ciwirocks · 18/03/2020 07:23

My dh can’t work from home despite being in a home office role that could be carried out remotely. I can’t because I am in healthcare, no idea what will happen when the schools close