Would it be unreasonable to refuse to WFH when it suits them because they won’t let us do it when it suits us?

[TeapotCollection]

I’m on the fence here

We did a mix of home and office during lockdown. When restrictions were lifted a handful of us asked if we could carry on with the mix but were told no, WFH has finished. Towards the end of last summer we found out that one department were still doing the mix so we asked again but were again told no, WFH has finished. We asked about department X and were told you don’t work for department X you work for department Y and WFH is finished. We weren’t happy but got on with it

Forward to now and one of my colleagues is off work with a sickness bug. She’s messaged me to say she’s been asked to do a few jobs from home that really need doing this week. She’s not feeling too bad, bit weak, but says she can’t honestly claim she’s too sick to do it - she just doesn’t know if she wants to

I’m not sure what I’d do if it was me

To an extent, I think the whole wfh is a red herring. You are either too sick to work, or not. Working from home should not be used to avoid taking time off due to sickness, becasue that isn't good for people. Presenteeism is no more appropriate when working from home than it is when working in the employers workplace.

I disagree.

If I have a cold, no one would thank me for coming in and sitting across from them in the office when I can keep my germs at home and continue to work. Because I'm not too ill to work.

See also chicken pox, broken limbs etc.

Do you know what a red herring is? Because it doesn't seem like you do.

no I agree with @Quveas it's a red herring ("an argument that distracts you from the real issue") because OP being unhappy that she isn't allowed to WFH on a regular basis is irrelevant to the fact that her colleague shouldn't be being asked to do any work - at home/in the office/travelling - wherever, if she is officially off sick.

If OP had been saying something like 'there's a huge rush on to finish work before end of financial year but our office is only open 9-5, work have now asked can we fit in extra hours in the evening/over the weekend at home to get it all done, AIBU to say no you either trust us to WFH normally or never, not just when you get desperate,' that would be relevant.

But the situation she has actually described are 2 completely different scenarios. The only 'link' seems to be that the reason colleague could technically complete the work she's been asked to do from home is because they used to WFH so still have all the kit, but the company isn't denying that - they know the employees COULD WFH, they just don't want them to.

The company has ended WFH as a policy. But this sounds like a request that might have happened pre-covid, just as companies might have been okay with the odd day WFH to allow a delivery or whatever.

Too sick to work and too sick to commute are not necessarily the same thing. But she should say no if she’s feeling too ill.

Yes thank you. But I don't think you do.