Help! Boss forcing us back to work

[Lostnameperson]

The organisation I work for is happy to allow people to continue to work from home, but our boss has never been a fan of working from home and is desperate to get us back into the office.

Our boss is telling the organisation we have “special work to do” that could be considered an exception, however this can still be done remotely in the same way as the other work we have.

Here’s the thing - the office is based in a hospital, so there is also a greater level of risk.

Can we insist that we continue to work from home? I’m not sure what our rights are here.

There is someone on the team who doesn’t have a computer at home so is struggling and can’t really do all their work properly. Could they just go back?

Do you have an hr department you can talk to? Has your organisation outlined what is company policy?

Request the risk assessment that should have been done to support your bosses assertion.

Give them the work to do to make your safty and wellbeing clear.

Surely just suggest doing it from home and how? Have a discussion with your boss about it.

You do not have to work in an a sofa environment. Of course that could be considered subjective at times

Join a union asap.

I am already in a union & considered approaching them about this.

Have tried, they’re just not listening floaty!

Boss doesn’t care about people and just wants us back in the office.

Have you put your suggestion in an email with reference to the government advice. Eg "given advice is to continue working at home if possible why don't we do this from home. We could do x,y and z. This would seem safer. All of us in the office would be risky for reasons ABC." And let him come back to that with clarification/explanation. Some people are wholly unreasonable but most don't want to unnecessarily vulnerable to criticism and complaints.

From Unison: 'Your employer has a duty to both follow government guidelines and risk assess any hazards arising from COVID-19.

If, after reading our advice and government guidelines, you believe your employer is failing to protect your health you should raise the matter with your employer. If this doesn’t resolve your concerns, contact your local UNISON Branch.

Where your employer continues to flout public health advice, and/or there is an immediate danger to your health (particularly if you are among those considered at risk with an underlying health condition) your branch may contact your local Public Health Office (Health Board if you live in Scotland) and they should advise you and your employer on what to do.'

I suggest contacting your union immediately. And at the same time make a written request for the risk assessment from your boss and the steps that have been taken to mitigate them.

Contact yr union, this is exactly what you pay your dues for.

If safety measures have been put into place to ensure social distancing then your employers can quite rightly ask you to return to the workplace

I don't think , even with a risk assessment, your employer can require you to work in an office if your work COULD be done at home.