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.

What make/model is your laptop? That might help give some perspectives. I’ve had various work laptops in the couple of years that ranged from cumbersome back breaking bricks to my current one which is very thing and light.

What do you think should happen if your building closes and you don’t have your laptop? Should they pay you? Should you take a/l?

I don’t think their request is unreasonable by the way. I bring my laptop home every day anyway. But just because it’s not unreasonable and others cart theirs all over the place all the time doesn’t mean that your employer shouldn’t consider alternatives, particularly as you have other RAs in place. A laptop for home and work would be a good compromise if they can arrange that quickly.

There request isn't unreasonable.

You need to work together for a solution that works for you both.

What happens if the office does close. Can you afford to be unpaid, because you didnt take a laptop home?

The remembering it is odd. You manage to remember other things and get to work most days, you can remember the laptop. I would stick to the difficulty carrying it.

Refusing a reasonable request, based on 'I will forget it' isnt going to help it.

Can your physiotherapist advise on the best way to carry a laptop and/or any particularly good rucksacks? If it's a proper rucksack (rather than a fashion one) it should be well padded, supportive and adjustable. Could you wear it on your front? Could you cycle to work and put your rucksack in a pannier?

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

Thing is roumer has it that there is this virus doing the rounds and people are being quarantined for 2 weeks for all sorts of reasons not just that they are ill, and workplaces temporarily closed.

OP it's not unreasonable for them to insist employees take laptops home daily (I'm yet another whose company is doing the same) but it's also entirely responsible that your medical condition(s) be taken into consideration.

If it were me I'd get physio to write me a letter ASAP saying that carrying or pulling a laptop will aggravate your injury, and if possible making recommendations for alternative arrangements. I would also ask work for an urgent occupational health appointment to discuss both desk and laptop transport issues.

Possible solutions I can think of off the top of my head;

Experiment at home with small wheely suitcase and attaching it to a belt

Wearing backpack on front

Getting a smaller/lighter laptop (sidenote, do you work on the laptop keyboard and screen at work, or dock it?)

Remote access to emails/files from home (do you have a computer at home? Would taking file backups home on a secure USB drive help?)

Spare laptop for home

Taxi/lift sharing

A Sholley or other trolley, or backpack or bag that is more ergonomic. Is there a waist belt adaptation?

Do you not have a personal computer (laptop or desktop) at home to work from? If you could potentially have a 'second' laptop to keep at home, then you're clearly storing data remotely not locally, so why make your employer pay for a second machine?

Unless there is software which you cannot access remotely, I suppose. If there is, then it's probably easier to consider a VPN or RDS connection. Problem solved.

What make/model is your laptop? That might help give some perspectives. I’ve had various work laptops in the couple of years that ranged from cumbersome back breaking bricks to my current one which is very thing and light.

All that matters is that it's too heavy for OP.

Between us, DH and I have four laptops. He could probably manage to bring each of them individually, but some lighter than others. I could probably manage the lightest one occasionally but not every day long-term.

I used to be classed as 'key personnel' and as such we had to take our laptops home with us from a business continuity situation - it reduced the insurance premiums as the core work could still continue as key staff took their laptops home each night.

It also worked for me - if DD wasn't well or if I wasn't 100% I could continue to work but could do it remotely.

I have a second power pack at home, so I only have to cart my laptop about, not all the other paraphernalia.

I would ask for a second laptop at home as the preferred option, but if they can't provide one, then a second power pack will help. Otherwise it's down to the type of bag or taking paid or unpaid leave, unless you can get a lift.

If you have mobility issues it is unreasonable. Ask for OH referral. I am perplexed at how many people here don't seem to get the problem this causes for people with physical problems.

I agree moving the peripherals with the laptop are a nuisance and add to the weight. My laptop alone would go in a tote bag but the power adapter is almost as heavy and I have keyboard, Mose and power adapter in both locations.

A wheeled suitcase for the laptop will be worse on your tennis elbow because it will lock the arm straight.
Ask your boss to take and bring in the laptop daily and if the office closes they can simply drop it off for you in their car.

Agree with others: get a backpack and be more organised in the morning.

Raise a polite request to work to ask for a second laptop as a reasonable adjustment.

You’re lack of organisation is nothing to do with work, I also have diabetes, it isn’t an excuse to leave things I need at home. If I leave things behind it’s because I’ve been an idiot and forgotten it, just the same as a non-diabetic person.

I use a laptop for work, I have always been required to take it home in case I can’t get to work next day, they have a power cut etc. If a member of my team refused to take their laptop home they would be fired if in the first two years of employment. After that each time would lead to a warning.

To be honest I got a new really light laptop to mitigate and has helped. Prior to that I just reduced down to a USB key. Would that be a possibility?

Couldn’t you get a cab?

I'm another who doesn't think they're unreasonable to ask. The whole point of a laptop is that it's portable and they need to be able to keep the company running even if staff are put in quarantine.

But if your disabilities don't allow you to carry it in everyday then they need to make allowances for that. Can they provide a taxi, or arrange for you to have a second laptop that you can keep at home just in case? Or could you work from home now?

I appreciate you don't want to but I think you're in a very privileged position to be able to. Lots of people are going to lose pay if their workplace closes or they can't come in.

What time do you finish work? In all likelihood, they will decide to close the office before everyone goes home that day, or before everyone comes in in the morning.

If the former, than you can take it home that one time (or indeed take a taxi if even one journey is not possible). If the decision is made in the morning, can't you come to to the office as soon as you hear since you are so close to the office anyway?

Couldn’t you get a cab?

Twice a day for a journey of less than a mile for an indefinite period of time?! A second laptop (which her employer likely has available) is a much easier solution.

I have 2x chargers and another keyboard and mouse at home (those are mine), I agree it would be sensible to ask for another charger

It is a perfectly valid request.

Something doesn’t add up here.
So you have reasonable adjustments at work. Yet you feel your desk is too small? Why isn’t this part of your reasonable adjustments to have a bigger desk space?

Also, your lack of organisational skills isn’t the companies problem, we are in a situation nobody has ever planned for with coronavirus. It sounds more like you’re pissed off with the company for the whole desk space issue and trying to find another angle to go in at them with, with the whole laptop thing.

If you absolutely cannot manage, you need to sort out another way to transport a laptop - wether that be a suitcase on wheels or getting the bus to work so you’re not carrying it. But surely occupational health from your reasonable adjustments meeting should be telling your employer all of this anyway?

Do you get support from Access to Work scheme? You may be able to apply for assistance such as for taxi fares or adapted workspace.

I think you should access your workplace at work. The table and chairs have to be at the right height. I would get a stand up mouse as well.

It is a reasonable request and my workplace has just done the same. That way if we have to self isolate, we can work from home.

Just ask for a temporary second laptop due to your disabilities. A few people at work do this and it isn't an issue.

They are being reasonable. They have offered you a wheeled case to help. What more can they do?