Is this a Reasonable request by work?

[RSIWoes]

I've nc and I'll try to keep it short. I work in a clerical job for a large organisation. I was told 5 minutes before I left today that for the forseeable future I would have to take my work laptop home (and back) every day, in case coronavirus shuts down the building.

I said I might have a problem with that, and was told "make it happen".

I currently pay for weekly physio sessions because of tennis elbow in both arms, caused (the physio says) by having too small a desk at work and at home which isn't supporting my arms properly. I also have stiff shoulders and neck. My manager knows this.

My team all drive to work. I deliberately live a 15 minute walk from work to avoid a commute. My walk home is all uphill and the weight of the laptop in a backpack today has set off my elbows and neck. Apparently I can ask for a suitcase on wheels instead of the backpack, but I think pulling something will be worse for my arms than wearing it.

Mornings are a nightmare because my 12 yo with ASD and dyslexia has multiple things to remember and gets a bus. I regularly forget my lunch/handbag/keys/phone - or DC gets on the bus and I'm left holding their PE bag. The laptop is one more thing to remember (used every day at work).

I will ask next week whether there is a different bag, or perhaps I could have 2 laptops and leave one at home and one at work. There may be a solution I haven't considered and I remain open to ideas. I understand why they want me to have the laptop at home.

BUT, can they insist that I must carry the damn laptop back and forth? I have Reasonable Adjustments at work for a few different reasons (one being the arm issues) but they seem to have forgotten this.

Its a laptop. They are designed to be portable. Work are not being unreasonable to expect you to transport it.

They are not being unreasonable in their request but maybe they can look into ways to help you get it to and from work/home.

A few places I know are doing this in case the employee leaves work and then becomes poorly over night or over the weekend so they can still WFH

I think you’ll have to look into your own employers policies, but we’ve had a similar instruction from my place of work, due to the coronavirus threat.

Given that we have been provided with laptops so that we can work flexibly (ie choosing to wfh if we want to) then it seems fair that they can instruct us to take laptops and headsets home, or risk not being able to work if we don’t.

I would try the bag on wheels before you rule it out.

It’s a reasonable request for a perfectly able bodied person but actually laptops are heavy. It’s a totally different request to make of a woman compared to a man, never mind a person with disabilities.

However, I wouldn’t tell your boss that you need special consideration because you’re not very good at remembering things. That just makes you look daft. Everyone with kids has a million things to remember as they leave the house, that is not unique to you.

I regularly forget my lunch/handbag/keys/phone

Don't take a handbag. Move what you need from your handbag into pockets of the laptop rucksack instead. (Or find a really small handbag which you can then put into a pocket of the rucksack.) Add keys and phone to laptop bag. Add lunch to laptop bag the following morning before you leave. That way you only have one thing to remember and carry, with everything in it.

I'm with you, I don't like schlepping my laptop backwards and forwards each day. But we are in an unusual situation, and business continuity process has come into play. I understand that I have a part to play in this, and value my job/role.

I really don't think it's unreasonable. I suspect my firm is close to doing the same, and it makes sense in current circumstances. Get a decent backpack and you should be fine.

We've always had to do this from when home working was introduced in my workplace - we have to take it home every day (if in office) just in case something happens and we can't get to work. A colleague has similar problems to you with back and neck pain and she has been allowed a desktop computer at work and her laptop at home so that she doesn't have to carry it back and forth. They should be able to accommodate you.

We've just been told to take all items we may need for working home every day. In my case it's more than just a laptop and a complete pain, but it needs to be done.

I think asking for a spare for home for now would be a good solution. I'm afraid that the issue with it being another thing to remember is totally yours. It really shouldn't be that hard. However your arm issues are real and if you need some adjustment then it should be done for you. Do you have a particularly large and heavy laptop?

I was going to suggest using bag on wheels. Does it have to be "your" laptop or is there a spare you could use at either location to remove the need for daily to and fro.

Modern laptops are actually pretty light (just weighed mine and it is 1.5kg, not really enough to signify if you're carrying it in a properly padded backpack).

So I suggest you need a new laptop, or possibly a new bag. And you should definitely look at what else is in the bag, that might actually be the cause.

And put your other items in the laptop bag or your coat pockets.

Alternatively, do you already have a device at home that you can use instead, if it's suitably set up?

Is this the NHS?

I think it's a reasonable request. I too walk to work but I've always used a backpack rather than a handbag. See if you can find a way to make it work before looking stroppy. If you can't, then there will have to be a reasonable adjustment for you. But make sure you appear very reasonable first.

Could you ask them if they have a spare cable, battery and mouse that you can keep at home so it's just the laptop you need to carry everyday. Then ditch the heavy laptop bag and just put it in a sleeve in a normal bag.

Its a perfectly reasonable request from your workplace.

I'm guessing your organisation is large it will have an OH team. It's not an unreasonable ask if the company however given your current issues it wouldn't be unreasonable to clarify with the OH team on how you can achieve this without worsening them.

I've had cause to need to transport stuff in a wheeled bag whilst suffering with ongoing issues regarding a slipped disk. I got advised to push the bag in front rather than pull it from behind, and whilst it wasn't ideal and I looked like i had no clue how to use a wheeled bag it did save me from being in a world of pain later. Could that possibly help you too?

It's a very reasonable request. I have to carry mine back and forth all the time because we have a 'clear desk policy' and aren't given much in the way of storage at work. I have an extra set of peripherals at home - power cable, mouse, keyboard, screen etc and I use a wheeled bag due to a shoulder injury. It's a case of making the situation as workable as you can. A second laptop would only work if all your work is accessed on a central system and not on the hard drive.

Everyone at my work has been told the same. I think it’s a reasonable request under the circumstances and a laptop doesn’t weigh very much. I would try the bag on wheels, or alternatively better backpack maybe one that’s designed for hiking with a waist strap. Also my work has loaner laptops in case you forget yours, or need a spare for a presentation etc. Could you ask to see if this is an option? Even if they’re not happy with you taking one daily, it would be less of a worry should you forget yours by accident (I’ve been there!).

I regularly forget my lunch/handbag/keys/phone

Sorry to be harsh but your own ineptitude has little to do with this issue and you can't blame any of that on your employer and as others have said, they provide you with a laptop for a reason.

If I asked this of one of my staff and their excuse was but I can't remember my lunch at the best of times, my response would be to sort their shit out but maybe politer and I'd have to stop laughing first.

Putting contingency plans for unexpected wfh arrangements is eminently reasonable in the current situation.

What other alternatives are there? Are there any other mobile devices you can use or a remote log in fob rather than a laptop? Could you being a walkable distance from work be an advantage? Could you go in while the rest of your team wfh (even closed down workplaces will probably have a skeleton staff arrangement) Explore the option of keeping a laptop at home for a short period rather than carrying it back and forth. Could any of your colleagues give you a lift with the laptop seeing as they're driving anyway?

If you're struggling to carry the laptop, come up with some alternatives.

My work laptop is an absolute brick, I walk a fair bit as part of my commute and would definitely have a sore back if I had to lug it around every day.

Ask if there's a spare desktop or laptop you can have as a reasonable adjustment. I don't think that's unreasonable if everyone else is driving and you already have adjustments for other issues.

I think it's fine. My trolley case was very handy.

I've worked in IT for thirty years. I have a number of employees and at least 40 over recent years who have had issues due to carry a laptop. They are not really meant to be carried large distances - they are meant to be a device that can be used in different locations - usually carried by car to be honest. Laptops weigh a lot more than people think due to screen size and battery weight. The adaptor also weights a fair bit. Irrespective of the policy, the law is far simpler... is thy cause you an issue then your employee has to make adjustments to help you. For example, is there a spare laptop you can leave at home? Or can you get a lift home sometimes?

It would be entirely reasonable if you didn't have a disability that affects your ability to do this and that you already have reasonable adjustments in the workplace for. You have, so they know about it and how you will struggle. Go back to occupational health/HR and ask for a further adjustment, I'd suggest one laptop at home and one laptop at work. Assuming this isn't going to be permanent they shouldn't have too big an issue with that, and if it is going to be permanent then it needs listing as an adjustment in regards to your disability going forward.

Surely if you cant go in because you are sick you are then off sick.

Other ways round this are to have a VPN so you can dial in from any laptop or pc - most work places have these at least for senior staff so ask about that. As admin could you just have what you need on an approved hard disk or large memory stick.

I understand what you mean though as often if the laptop is for desk based work they are large and heavy and not the light portable things most people who cart them about are used to.

As you have existing injury issues I would ask them if they have a spare older one you could keep at home and use a disc to transport data as required.

If your physical health conditions mean you can't easily carry a laptop,then they have to take that into consideration.

I had two laptops for this reason until recently - now I can carry a laptop home most of the time but not always. I do have colleagues near home who could drop a laptop.off if needed and a phone I can work on if necessary.

Not having somewhere at home you can work may be more of an issue - do discuss with HR rather than injuring yourself further.

It's not unreasonable for them to ask you.

It's also not unreasonable for you to explain and ask if you can get a loaner laptop or crap old desktop for the office so that you don't need to go back and forth with a laptop. I'd certainly do my best to accommodate that.