Should I tell HR about my OCD?

[Annella]

Hello,

My employer has changed its policy and now requires me to be in the office four days a week. When I accepted the job in 2021 (during the WFH covid period) I was verbally assured that I would never be required to be in four days a week. I am currently doing two.

I’m now being forced to submit a flexible work request and my HR meeting is coming up.

I’m ready to discuss my childcare needs, the grounds on which I accepted the job and the business justification for my request.

However, I see a clinical psychologist once a week privately as she is helping me with my OCD. I am not medically diagnosed as I would need to see a psychiatrist - I haven’t felt it necessary to get a formal diagnosis as I can still function and my condition doesn’t affect my job. I struggle enough though to need to see my therapist.

My question is, should I disclose this to HR as one of the reasons I wish to work from home? I attend the appointments face to face as I find them more productive and connected than on Zoom. If I am required to be in the office I cannot make the appointment. I waited months to get on this specialist’s patient list.

Or, would it be career suicide to add this as one of the reasons for my request? Once they’ve written “OCD” on my file will I forever be stigmatised? I’m quite senior and my career is very important.

Medical condition that requires regular appointments for treatment.

Telling them the diagnosis doesn't provide any further useful information if that's all you need?

you were “verbally assured” means squat all.

What is stipulated in your contract?

is this private or through the nhs?

From your description your ocd doesn't have any bearing on your job so not sure you will get far.

I'd be more inclined to mention it as WFH could be viewed as a reasonable adjustment for your OCD. Your child care arrangements isn't a thing that your employer needs to address.

I wouldn't mention childcare arrangements but I think therapy is a valid reason (assuming you're not having therapy in working hours and/or are making the time up - if you're going to therapy in the middle of the working day without telling people, they may not be so keen on that).

I think you would need to be able to explain why your OCD allows you to be in office for two days but not four. Especially when you say it doesn’t affect your job.

Are you saying that you are attending your psychologist appointments face to face in working hours and thats why you can’t work in the office ? If so, I assume you are taking annual leave or TOIL to do so, so why does it matter where you are working ?

And also about your childcare needs. I cant see what that has to do with WFH, as if you are working you can’t be caring for your children.

Some employers find it more productive and connected to have their staff in the office. Same as you find it with your psychologist.

I think you'd need to be clear on why your condition allows you to work two days in the office but not four... if it is that you need one of those days to attend your appointment, then you'd be taking time off from work, irrespective of WFH or not, in order to do that?

Thanks all for the responses.

I’ve been told that childcare arrangements are my strongest bow. It’s not just pick ups and drop offs, but the right to a family life.

I live 2 hours from work, if I’d known it would be 4 days in the office I would never have taken the job. During the interview process I asked to amend my contract but I was told this wouldn’t be necessary and was given verbal reassurance instead which I naively accepted. Lesson learned. I worked from home 100% for a year when I started.

My appointments are in my home town in the evenings after work. With my commute time, I wouldn’t make it back in time.

My appointments aren’t my main reason. I don’t see my kids on office days as my commute is so long and this is my main concern. I was just trying to gauge whether people thought it was worth adding this particular reason to my list, or if the cons of telling work about any mental health issue wouldn’t make it a wise choice.

When evaluating the responses you've had here, I would take into account that some MN posters become very aggressive about WFH and can be quick to leap to accusations that people aren't really working. I can see that in some of the responses you've had, who have only posted to insinuate that you're not working.

That doesn't necessarily lead to valid or useful advice for you.

Based on your commute time, it makes sense that WFH on days when you have medical appointments enables you to attend with the minimum disruption to your work. That's a perfectly practical solution that would be agreed in other workplaces too.

The explanation about why childcare is a factor also makes sense in the context of your commute.

Focus on the business case in the first instance, but there's nothing wrong with the personal reasons you've given.

"Custom and practice" may also be relevant to your contract - written terms are not the only way to form a contract. Don't go in all guns blazing but it never hurts to be clear on your legal position.

https://www.acas.org.uk/employment-contracts-and-the-law/types-of-terms-in-a-contract

In future, you might get slightly more measured and useful responses if you post on the "work" board about this kind of thing.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/work

I think you could tell them. I don't think mental health issues are the stigma they might once have been and I think it's a fairly good argument. This therapy is important to you. They might put a time limit on any agreement (therapy is not always very long term) but it's worth a try.

@user284246975787632445 thank you for your responses, they have both been really valuable.

I agree that verbally reassured isn't going to help you. What does it actually say in your contract?

If your OCD is severe enough it can be classed as a disability under the Equalities Act 2010. It would make it more difficult for your employers to make you redundant or sack you and means they have to make reasonable adjustments for you as a result of your disability. You can still be made redundant though.

I'd call ACAS and ask,for their advice. I

During the interview process I asked to amend my contract but I was told this wouldn’t be necessary and was given verbal reassurance

op you accepted a job with a 4 hour commute on the basis of a verbal reassurance

did it not occur to you “what happens if the person who gave me that verbal reassurance (but refused to amend my contract to reflect his/her “reassurance”) may be knocked down by a bus or just resign or indeed be sacked (for making daft verbal reassurances that mean squat all)”

check your contract

It will stipulate what you agreed to in writing about Your Place of Work

and you’ve gone straight to seeing shadows

rather than posters also seeing things from the perspective of the employer

This. Also, it was naive to think WFH would continue indefinitely, covid and lockdown was an unprecedented time

a clinical psychologist can make a diagnosis of OCD OP.

I was coming on to say this as it was a clinical psychologist that gave me mine after assessment. The psychiatrist gives you the tools to cope with your diagnosis and prescribe meds but the CP is the one that gives the diagnosis.