Returning to work

[Lina_uk]

Hi all

During the next few weeks as the government further lifts its restrictions, my work will be introducing a phased return of staff to the office.

Whilst i have a raised slightly platelet count I am under 40 and am not on medication due to no other symptoms and testing negative for mutations.

If I am given the option to return to work I am happy do do so, my own company is becoming unbearable after 10 weeks, but i dont want to risk exposing myself unnecessarily. Whilst it seems having ET does not make you more susceptible to COVID it may make the symptoms experienced worse. There is also an increased amount of reporting on blood clots forming in COVID patients.

In many respects because my country t is relatively low, I am under 40 and have no other conditions, the advice appears to be I am no more at risk than the next person but the risk of clotting associated with COVID is making me question this position. In overly simplistic terms it would seem a condition that already puts you at increased risk of clotting becomes further exacerbated by COVID?

My question is should we be given the choice to return to work or to continue working from home should the risks associated with ET influence that decision?

Lina

[friendofpiglet]

Good question! First of all, having an MPN can't possibly increase our chances of catching anything but might increase the risk of whatever we catch affecting us to a greater extent than usual.

So we have to balance risks against any potential benefits.

The biggest risk that I would have had to face if I had to go back to work (I'm retired so it's not actually applicable) would be the daily commute, and being at work a far lesser risk.

So if your means of getting to work don't involve mingling with crowds that would lower the risk.

If I were you, I would be asking my employer what measures they have in place to ensure safety.

It's your decision in the end and I can quite understand that getting back to a bit or normality might be an attractive prospect.

Andy

[Chaz1]

I think the ACAS guidance to employers & employees is to work together in this & explore the possibility of you being able to work from home for longer. As well as a change of hours to allow you to access public transport at less busy times, deal with having children at home etc.. I don't think they have to by employment law let you work at home indefinitely however of you have been & can continue to do so ot would be frowned upon to make you return to the office at this point. Have a look at ACAS website & Government guidance for employees so you know where you stand & can then open the lines of communication with your employer on the matter.

[Paul_1971]

Hi,

Government advice is still very much 'work from home if you can'.

I guess the question is if you can work from home, and others within your business can too, can you work as efficiently and productive at home as you can in an office environment.

If you can then I would question the motives behind returning people to work, of course if you can't then its understandable they will want to start returning people safely to the office environment.

Even though you aren't being required to shield, you have a medical condition which is covered by the equality act, and as part of that act employers have a duty to make 'reasonable' adjustments to allow you to continue in your role for them.

I would personally say that allowing you to continue working from home, even if you are part of the last 'phase' returning, then this has to be considered a reasonable adjustment.

If you can do your job 100% effectively and productive from home I would argue that allowing you to work from home until much later down the line is reasonable.

The business I work for has announced they have no plans to introduce a gradual return to the office yet, until such time the government advice changes.

I get the bit about your own company and not having the social interaction with colleagues though.

All the best

Paul

[tracey13]

I would stay at home if your working from home now and having no problems getting the work done. I would definitely stay at home as infection spreads so quickly in offices.

[hunter5582]

I would say your risk assessment is accurate. You would be no more likely to contract COVID than anyone else in your age group. The impact on COVID on someone with ET at this point is unknown. We just do not know one way or the other if it would impact someone with ET any differently. My own guess is that it depends on how your individual MPN has manifested. There is so much variability in our MPN profiles, there may never be a clear answer to the risk question.

So returning to work is really about your own risk tolerance. There is not a black and white answer. Suggest asking several questions. It sounds like you want to go back to work. How much risk are you willing to tolerate in order to return to work? What reasonable accomodations can be made in your workplace to maximize your own safety? Would returning part-time for essential on-site functions be possible? Blend work-from-home with work-on-site. What is your employer's attitude towards you and the fact that you have a health condition? That should not matter given laws in place, but the reality is that it does matter. So what is it you really want to do based on your own priorities?

As someone age 64 with PV I have been carefully out and about. Careful social distancing rather than isolating/shielding. I work part-time as a consultant. I have cancelled all on-site work with clients at least until it is reasonably safe to travel (often have to fly to see clients). As things start to gradually reopen, I will resume normal activities. As Robert Heinlein said "Fear is the mind killer." My plan is to be careful, but not fearful in what I choose to do.

[Paul_1971]

My issue with returning to the office as and when is not just what steps the government or my employer are taking but how colleagues will behave.

during the last couple of weeks in the office in March when the message was stay home if unwell etc I had 3 colleagues all coughing and sputtering through an illness at work , when I raised it I was just met with shrugged shoulders.

let's hope when we are back people take more responsibility

[Jlah]

Hi Lina

If you can work from home and want to I would pursue that. I agree having an illness where blood likes to clot dies make me question whether Covid will affect us badly given it also likes to clot blood. That said I have just been taken off the shielding list so assuming they think the risk is not any higher. Take care. Jx

[Melanie66]

Hello ... I would have thought having et would be reason enough to continue home working ....as after all et is considered to be a rare blood cancer .... one of the problems for people like us is conflicting advice ...I have et and am working from home and will not go back into the office for at least six months.....as I am vulnerable to any infection as et does affect my blood by overproduction of platelets ..(sticky blood)..which in turn does lower immunity also other conditions I now have are all a direct result of et .... blood cancers are the mother of all sickness as I’m now discovering ....you have to do what you believe is true for you .,. But do your research first .... are work colleagues going to be wearing protective masks etc ? How covid safe has your workplace been made ? Asking all questions that will enable you to make your own risk assessment will be key as to whether you return to work or continue from home ...,

Lainie xx

[Lina_uk]

Thanks all. Will see how the return to work evolves.

I do have private health insurance via my employment so if asked to consider returning as part of the earlier phases I may say I am willing to consider subject to confirmations on risk from the virtual GP service offered via the insurance.