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Original poster

Voluntary Redundancy Offered - Now It is an Exit Package?! Advise Please

285 replies

mummytippy · 15/01/2021 11:01

In short I have been off work since September suffering from anxiety and panic attacks. I opened communication with my employer regarding occupational health provision and they told me they did not have any, but would welcome my GPs recommendation. My Dr is recommending that I work from home. My employer has been telling me this isn't possible. I do accounts admin and have been told by the company's IT consultants it is possible via remote working on a laptop. I submitted a reasonable adjustment request and been turned down. The reason - logistics of transporting paperwork by other staff members- too costly, too time consuming but it can be scanned and emailed... or posted. Most of the company's suppliers and customers email their documents. Also, contamination? I will contaminate paperwork in my home? I've not heard of Covid 19 being transferable on paper?

Just before Christmas I was asked if I wanted to consider voluntary redundancy (also told strictly confidential) and was made a financial offer. I made it clear I didn't want to take such a redundancy. I want to work, but wfh. I was then told I would be informed of any decisions made. I heard nothing and after Christmas I contacted my employer to ask the latest on the redundancies, which process are they following and who does it affect. They replied they were exploring whether I would be interested in an 'exit package' in case I might not be going back to work. I feel completely mislead and spent the entire Christmas period (while they were closed) worrying about their decision and this certainly hasn't help with my panic attacks and anxiety. Any advise on this matter would be greatly appreciated. TIA.

OP posts:

Lougle · 15/01/2021 21:01

[quote mummytippy]@Lougle

So how does post, newspapers and magazines fair in this I wonder.[/quote]
I think that's all a bit of a red herring. Your employer has told you that you will not be allowed to work from home. Full stop.

You can't make them let you.

Original poster

mummytippy · 15/01/2021 21:10

@unbotheredbutbewildered

OP, this is an awful situation.

However, your employer has clearly made their decision and you are being pretty unreasonable with this particular quote; "logistics of transporting paperwork by other staff members". - Why should other members of staff transport paperwork for you? That's insane.

If I were you, I'd cut my losses, accept the reality of the situation and look elsewhere. Now is not the time to leave a company on a bad note with people losing jobs every day and 100+ applications for even the most boring/mundane jobs.

It is my boss that is saying this not me. I believe the majority of items for me to process will be attached to emails from customers and suppliers as they were before March... and that method is probably used more so now. I would be happy to receive documents (which have been posted to office by post). Much simpler and cost effective. My child's class teachers are sending work home this way... Royal Mail large letter.

OP posts:

ScrumptiousBears · 15/01/2021 21:10

I'm kind of seeing why your company have had enough tbh.

Original poster

mummytippy · 15/01/2021 21:12

@TitsOot4Xmas

Yes. Other staff members should definitely drive 45m each way to deliver you paperwork at home.

That isn't the distance and it is my boss who has suggested this method of exchanging paperwork. Royal Mail is good enough for me.

OP posts:

TitsOot4Xmas · 15/01/2021 21:15

Have you moved? You said it was 45 mins drive in another thread (when you didn’t want to be unfurloughed).

Original poster

mummytippy · 15/01/2021 21:16

@ScrumptiousBears

I'm kind of seeing why your company have had enough tbh.

Course you do!. 9 years of being interrupted on your lunch hour if you sit at your desk, pounced on the moment you step in work (sometimes half an hour early), staying late (unpaid) when there is a job that just can't wait until the next day and on a separate matter, finding out you've been left out of the workplace pension when you qualify to be in it.

OP posts:

Original poster

mummytippy · 15/01/2021 21:18

@TitsOot4Xmas

Have you moved? You said it was 45 mins drive in another thread (when you didn’t want to be unfurloughed).

I thought you meant MILES not minutes.

Yes it's 45 mins in rush hour traffic but the fact remains items can be emailed or posted.

OP posts:

RaspberryCoulis · 15/01/2021 21:20

But what you're STILL no seeing op is that it doesn't n me start idc it's "good enough for you" or not. Your employers doesn't want you at home. End of story.

Why are you not accepting that fact?

quarentini · 15/01/2021 21:24

Op honestly I don't want to be rude but it's coming across as if you can't get what you want you are just finding reasons to argue.

In the nicest possible way
Go to work or loose your job!
They won't let you work from home!
You need to accept this and deal with this

Holyrivolli · 15/01/2021 21:31

I’ve seen employers bend over backwards to keep key highly valued employees with skills which are in short supply who are going through a temporary crisis at home which necessitates less than ideal working practices. They wouldn’t for someone in accounts admin who hadn’t been at work for a year. They’ve obviously managed without you for almost a year and you seem to be so difficult that I’d bet they’ll be relieved if you accept their offer and decide not to come back to work.

As many many other posters have stated - either go back to the office or hope they offer a decent package.

daisypond · 15/01/2021 21:37

If you qualified under the EA what happened in the end?

The company made adjustments for me - I could attend all hospital appointments on the company’s time, I did not have to make up that time, and I was fully paid throughout. I could take time out in the day to rest. I just had to let them know. I had an hour and a half commute to work each way, which was debilitating. The company partially paid for a taxi for me for a period of time. All of that was the reasonable adjustment. What I wasn’t allowed to do was work from home - for operational reasons.

BeakyWinder · 15/01/2021 21:46

Why not look for a job where you can WFH rather than try to force your employer to do something they don't want to do?

Original poster

mummytippy · 15/01/2021 21:53

@daisypond

Thank you for giving me further detail on your situation.
It does sound very frustrating and I'm sorry you weren't successful in your request.

OP posts:

DeadSouth · 15/01/2021 21:56

Itis obvious your looking for an answer to make your employer allow you to work from home you won’t find. Their excuses may not seem valid but they will not make that adjustment for you so it’s not relevant.

You either work in the office or you leave and get a new job.

It’s a shit situation when your mental health’s suffering and this must be adding to it massively, I hope you find an alternative soon.

Really sorry for the loss of your Dad too Op, last year is still pretty fresh

Original poster

mummytippy · 15/01/2021 21:57

@BeakyWinder

I'm not trying to force them to do anything, it was a request and based on the fact so many pp are currently wfh, I didn't realise it would be viewed as being so difficult to implement.

OP posts:

BeakyWinder · 15/01/2021 22:03

It could be viewed as you stamping your feet to get your own way - you enjoyed furlough and don't want to go back to the office, and are using mental health as a way to try to force your hand. I'm NOT saying you are, but I suspect this could be the way it's being perceived.

Original poster

mummytippy · 15/01/2021 22:03

@DeadSouth

Thank you, yes it's certainly been a trying last 10 months.

I was hoping if I gave my employer the solutions and pointed out the benefits to them they would allow wfh.

OP posts:

daisypond · 15/01/2021 22:06

But what are the benefits to your employer?

Original poster

mummytippy · 15/01/2021 22:12

@BeakyWinder

I did not enjoy being furloughed as it caused me financial hardship. I did have child care issues as my ds was off school (as he is again now) but that only made me want to wfh more.

I am certainly not making up the MH situation.
I have just completed 6 sessions of counselling and am prescribed medication for the panic attacks.

I do agree though that my employers might think exactly what you have said and if they do, how do I tackle that because I actually believe that the way they handled furloughing me, in that they failed to inform me of being furloughed in the first instance, not telling me on what grounds, how much I'd be paid, or for how long, how best to communicate was the probable cause of the panic attacks starting in the first place.

OP posts:

MrsSchadenfreude · 15/01/2021 22:12

We have largely moved to wfh, but there are some people who can’t wfh - eg payroll, the person who prepares legal documents, the IT people, the people who work from a more secure IT system.

You do sound quite entitled. When we started wfh there were people who kept asking eg the pay roll team to do parts of their job that required them to come in. We made it a condition of wfh that if there was anything that required people to come into the office then they couldn’t delegate it to people who were in doing their own job. To ask was a disciplinary offence.

I think if they wanted you to stay, they would make it possible for you to work from home. But it looks like you’ve outstayed your welcome.

VodselForDinner · 15/01/2021 22:16

OP, you seem quite difficult to deal with, based on this thread and others.

They’re not going to let you work from home.
You can’t make them.

So what are you going to do? Take the package, head to the office on Monday, or wait until they start formal proceedings?

Viviennemary · 15/01/2021 22:17

It seems obvious your for doesn't want you to work from home. Maybe they think it will set a precedent for other staff who eill then want to. I font think they are legally obliged to allow wfh. If you don't want to leave could you ask for a compromise three days at home and two days in the office. If you want to leave are you not better off taking the package.

Viviennemary · 15/01/2021 22:18

Firm that should be

FudgeSundae · 16/01/2021 07:06

OP, I still don’t think you are getting what voluntary redundancy/an exit package means: they want to pay you to go away. They are fed up of discussing this, they think you will make trouble if they dismiss you according to your contract, and they want you gone quickly and they’re willing to pay. This means:
a) they definitely want you gone;
b) they’re willing to pay for a quick resolution.
Realistically you no longer have a job - they don’t want you any more. Negotiate as much money as you can and get out of there, because the next step will be dismissing you which will be less pay and look bad on your references.

SD1978 · 16/01/2021 07:28

I'm not trying to force them to do anything, it was a request and based on the fact so many pp are currently wfh, I didn't realise it would be viewed as being so difficult to implement.

No, you're not. But they aren't willing to compromise and neither are you. So logically you need to realistically look at what's next. Would you be amenable to a hoses return to work? Would you be willing to put forward a 1-2 days a week WFH structure if they were able to or willing to support that? At the moment you're refusing to go back to work on health grounds, if the job stays as is with no WFH offered, and they are refusing to allow you to WFH. Something or someone has to give, either compromise a little, or leave/ be made redundant.

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