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

[mummytippy]

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. I have anxiety, Multiple Sclerosis and epilepsy (so very much come under the Equality Act).

I've asked to work from home as a reasonable adjustment and was turned down.

It is what it is. Just get on with it.

I'm sorry @mummytippy but, after reading your update with the back story, I'd say you're already out of the door and anything that happens now is just a formality.

• In your employer's eyes, they asked you 4 times last Spring to return to the office. You gave a different reason every time why you couldn't do that so they agreed to keep you on furlough.

• You were then asked again and responded with a sicknote.

• You are still refusing to go back into the office.

• They already have another member of staff who can, and has been doing the same role in the office.

• You've been away from the workplace long enough now for them to know they don't need you.

If there's any hint that the exit package is still on offer grab it with both hands. Concentrate on finding a new job elsewhere which can accommodate your desire to work from home.

Reading your latest update OP, I think you are extremely lucky that you were not sacked or at least disciplined a long time ago. You stopped going to work because of something a colleague said about a Boris speech, really?! You treat going to work is an option.

They had just recruited a newly qualified staff member to do the same tasks as myself.

THIS IS HOW DISPENSABLE YOU ARE!

What happened in those 3 days is that someone said “how much do we have to pay her to go away?” They have given up on you, and now it’s just haggling over the price. If you go away quickly and quietly you might get more money.

I'm looking for constructive advice -- not insults

You have had tons of constructive advice. What more do you want?

You seem to be fixated in WFH, he said/she said.

My colleague, who has been off sick for 18 months was just dismissed without a package, after 12 years.

Take the money while it is still on the table.

It's irrelevant that the external it company have said it's possible to work from home - this would come at a cost to your employer, which they have decided they don't want to pay.

How old is your child? If, as other posters have suggested, the child is a teenager, is there a reason they cannot be left on their own? If you were at work would you get a key worker place?

But op, I have to ask, given you don't seem to like your job or your boss why are you so keen to keep this job? Do you honestly think the relationship between yourself and your employer is fixable? I think you have to accept they are not going to allow you to wfh. That is just not happening, so where does it leave you? Either back in the office, possibly with colleagues who will not be pleased to see you, or take the exit package and look for another job

I see the OP has started two more threads about WFH in an accounts role, hoping to get different answers?

They had just recruited a newly qualified staff member to do the same tasks as myself.

OP. Every single person on this thread has told you what is going to happen. You've just told us they recruited a new person to do your job. The writing is on the wall: YOU ARE GOING TO BE FIRED.

You have two options;

1. Keep trying to kick the can down the road and pushing this WFH party, which will not happen. You will then end up on a shitty severance/firing/whatever we want to call it package where you get even less money simply because you were difficult. You get no references and therefore you are slightly less employable for the next job that comes along.

OR

2. You accept that life is not fair and this company clearly do not want you, and you leave with your head held high and with a nice amount of money.

People are losing their jobs. You're being PAID to go away whilst lots of people are getting minimum redundancy pay at the moment. In the nicest possible way OP; get a fucking grip.

I understand you want constructive advice so I'll do my best.

Go to work or find a new job.

You are doggedly fixated on working from home and have tried this before furlough, were denied. Denied denied denied. They don't want you to work from home and be juggling your job and your kids school work. They don't want it so much they furloughed you AGAIN. Honestly, if I was your boss I would be doing everything in my power to get rid of you because you are coming across as stubborn, entitled and rather short sighted. Furlough at 80% was tough? Good luck on UC.

All the drama about nobody contacting you about furlough or how much or how long etc. My husband got a 20 second phone call telling him not to go in until further notice and they would see how furlough panned out etc and add it was a pandemic nobody had any idea how long. He didn't get any correspondence, the government set the rate and so it was easy to work out what he would be getting and it was totally drama free. He knew he could email his boss if needed. But it seems very like you expected to be nurtured through the process.

Get real. Go to work or find a new job.

@mummytippy I’m going to try and say this as kindly as I can although I have a tantruming toddler so will have to be quick.

You don’t seem to be getting the fact your boss can make whatever decision he seems fit, irrespective of what your GP says would work for you. I would imagine lots of us could get a note from a GP at the moment for our MH but it’s advisory. It does not have to be leapt upon by your employers. I really do not see the point in writing to them and again outlining your request. All your doing is giving them all the animation they want to terminate your employment

I don’t want to scare you but you're also rapidly running out of time although I expect you have in fact run out of time now. There is no point continuing to argue with them over WFH it is not going to happen. You need to quickly sort out and decide what you’re going to do. The termination of your employment is coming and I fear whilst your busy writing on mumsnet they’re busy getting their ducks in a row to begin this process. As I see it, you have two options. You contact them (in writing) and explain your willingness to return and set a date. Make childcare arrangements even if it’s 1 day a week to show willing. The second is you agree to leave and see what they’re offering. It may now be too late for the original agreement however so be prepared for this. You’ve said they changed their mind before Christmas about redundancy vs exit package. I don’t think they ever changed their mind I suspect this was their intention to manage an exit and you’ve misunderstood or not fully comprehended.

I would suggest any communication going forward is in writing. No texts. Leave your emotion out of it.

Animation = ammunition

Just for info an exit agreement sounds like a compromise agree, maybe have a google and see what you think, you will need a solicitor and the company should pay towards it, so you will have some income to live off till you find something wfh. Don't rule it out and if you go down this route don't look back or dwell on it, plus they have to give you a reference.

No employer has to give a reference, but they are often negotiated as part of an exit package. (Would be a very good idea for the OP to demand that here.)

No company ever has to give a reference. But here, if you go for voluntary exit, you should try to negotiate the wording on one. If you are sacked for capability, or made redundant, you will have little say in what is written about you - as long as they are truthful.

The thing is it isn’t about what you think should happen. Your company don’t want you working at home, that’s the end of it. Even if your job can be done from home they can decline because they don’t want YOU working from home. It could be they don’t think you work as well at home.

You need to choose to take the exit package or go back into work and do your job. They’ll get rid if you if you don’t go back in so you may as well take the package if you refuse to go in.

I was reading through that list of reasons you haven’t gone back to work like this 😲. A new thing every time. They have been extremely reasonable.

I am not ignoring advice. I am listening and reading every single comment.

I spoke to the EASS yesterday am and they advised I go back to my employer and outline in detail every aspect of my job and how me wfh will benefit the company and to ask for a reconsideration in their decision.

Either that or send a letter outlining they have failed to make a reasonable adjustment and quote the EA2010.

It would seem that what they're advising me is the complete opposite of the majority of the MN'ers who've posted. I'm not ignoring what's being said on here, I'm just very confused why an advisory body would tell me to do the opposite.

My original question was to try to understand how my employer could move to an exit package from VR where they'd based the reason for VR on a supposed downturn in work - a reason that has now turned out to be untrue. I feel mislead by that and it felt sly.
The EASS said to ask for clarification on the VR/exit package situation as a matter of conduct due to feeling mislead.

I just feel overwhelmed.

I also have an issue with my pension (in that they haven't enrolled me or paid any contributions into the workplace pension for me for 4 years), claiming I wasn't eligible to be in it, but I've since found out from the provider I should. I have asked my employer separately to contact the provider and please come back to me.

And starting another 2 threads in it won’t make any difference either.

Honestly op
You are going to loose your job!
Go to work or take the package

I work in a very similar sounding job in accounts admin. I did work from home during the first lockdown but it was a nightmare.

I live 10 mins away from my boss and his wife (she’s accounts manager) and she used to bring me paperwork every day but it was really inefficient. I’d be chasing money and a client would ring the office with a query only for the paperwork to be with me, or I’d need access to a document at the office so had to phone up or wait for it to be brought to me.

It was a very inefficient way of working and often it was easier for the accounts manager just to do everything herself.

I’m now back in the office full time.

Also we have an external IT support company and they charge £80 just for a 10 minute phone call! Of course they can set up a system. But they will charge the earth for it.

@BIankets

They had just recruited a newly qualified staff member to do the same tasks as myself.

THIS IS HOW DISPENSABLE YOU ARE!

We job share. 3 days each only working one day together (crossover day).

What is the reason they said you weren’t entitled to be enrolled in the company pension?

@Hoppinggreen

And starting another 2 threads in it won’t make any difference either.

I haven't.

I asked those questions via those threads before starting this one.