Hello everyone, I thought would update you on my mtg with my manager last week of her asking me to go back tother office and me saying no as I wish to follow the immune suppressed guidance. Well she came back and said we will allow you to stay wfh for the next month but I would like you to let me know when you think you will be back. 😠 I replied back saying, I'm feeling very pressured and stressed of thinking of going back as I don't feel it is the right time and I don't know yet when I will be ready to go back. I wouldn't mind but I can do my job perfectly well at home and get more done. She came back to me and said, I'm sorry your feeling pressured and stressed it's a difficult situation your in, but if you could think about when you will be back. I haven't replied, I will say in a month's time a still not ready. Grrrrrr moan over. 🤣
Continuation of wfh : Hello everyone, I thought would... - NRAS
Continuation of wfh
'I'm sorry your feeling pressured and stressed it's a difficult situation your in, but if you could think about when you will be back'.
What a thing to say!!! Good for you, saying you don't know, and not replying. With the rise in covid cases, it's even more important now that you take steps to protect yourself.
Please excuse me if I'm overstepping the mark here - I don't mean to tell you what to do or insult you- but please make sure you have a written/ e mail record of what has been said to you, if you haven't already.
I hope it all works out for you.
Take care - and look after yourself X
Thank you madbunny, I don't mind you telling me at all, I was equally gob smacked when my boss said that, honestly some people don't have a clue. I will keep saying no and if they push the matter I will ask for a health assessment and for HR to get involved. I have a situation in my last work where they tried to bully me into doing things, it's not going to happen again.
Have you actually been in to your office to see what arrangements are in place so that you can keep your distance & see if other staff are respecting Covid advice?You could f2f discuss things with your manager …see how you feel…& she could see you are willing to meet her halfway.
If you got that out of the way you might feel better?
Tbh I think a lot of us are stressed, but we all want to start living more normally , so we have to start adjusting to getting back to a more normal way of living & working.
Have you ever thought your stress may be brought on partly by wfh….being alone & not seeing how others are managing come to terms with getting back to going to the work place?
Even just meeting with your boss & work colleagues may relax your fears so that you could go back to your office…may just a couple of days a week to start?
To be honest AgedCrone, I have no intention of going back into the office yet, I know what they are doing as they send us emails every week, but equally there are covid cases every week and people are not sitting where they should be, sitting closer together. I'm not stressed at wfh, I work alot better at home than being in the office, others in the team are not happy about going in either, for other health reasons, to be honest I have no intention of going into an office at the moment so that they can tick a box to say I have been in and potentially be sat next to somebody who could have covid and pass it onto me.
I would definitely do the HR route and occupational route so it has been assessed in a fair manner for all involved and hopefully finding a solution for all. My sister is not immune suppressed but various issues she got 1 day a week to go in for meetings and f2f time but then 4 days WFH as they knew she was producing more work from home than in the office.
Thanks for the reply I think I will asses how our meeting goes in April and may suggest the HR route to them to do this properly, I haven't said I won't go back I just would like a bit of time for the surge in cases that is happening currently to die down. They are saying officially we need to be going in 2 to 3 days a week going forward, it would be interesting to hear what they would say at an assessment.
Hi Stowe, I am 100% with you here, Covid Rates are incredibly high, and yes we are vaccinated and boosted, but why put ourselves at risk if we don't have to? We are NOT all the same and some may still be feeling anxious and wary of resuming normal life and I feel that needs to be respected, not patronised.
I will be returning a couple of days a week but this is my choice and then will extend it if I feel safe but not until I have a 4th vaccine in April as I am behind because of Rituxumab, I know my office is business as usual with people streaming in and plenty of Covid cases, but I will try it as I am out and about a bit more now so seems unreasonable not to at least try but this is me.
You could be covered by law (see below) but bear in mind your Employer could argue that they have done all they can to ensure the workplace is safe also.
Best wishes and I hope you can get a reasonable outcome.
The Employment Rights Act says that it will be unlawful to subject an employee to a detriment, or to dismiss them, for refusing to work in circumstances where they reasonably believe they are facing a serious and imminent danger or where they take appropriate steps to protect themselves or others.
Section 44 of the Act states that a worker has the right not to be subjected to any detriment where they leave work, or refuse to return to work, in circumstances where the worker reasonably believes there to be ‘serious and imminent’ danger, which they could not reasonably avoid. The law is amended from 31 May 2021, so that all workers, and not just employees as previously, have the right to bring a claim under this section. This will mean that many freelancers, zero hours contract workers and others on atypical contracts will have this legal protection.
Hello 3littlebirds2, I think the thing is I get that we do have to at some point get back to some sort of normal, but shouldn't that be when we feel safe? Sigh....I think if you feel ready to go in that's good and hopefully it will be a positive experience for you, I will get there but not yet. Wow I didn't know about the Employment Law acts, interesting thank you for sending me that. X
Oh that's a very good idea, thanks for that. Yes I should be able to show that, I definitely can get more work done at home than in the office, plus I log on earlier as I don't have the comute.
Ask for a copy of the risk assessment they’ve drawn up for you working onsite!All the best
Ali
I’d look at ways you can protect yourself at work, then you will feel safer but also I’d look at why you feel unable to meet your employer half way and go in a couple of days as they want you to. You’re not on very high risk meds and know by now how to look after yourself, there’s no point fighting and causing yourself the stress and upset. You’ve been very lucky to be able to work from home all this time, many of us haven’t been able to but we’ve managed to keep ourselves safe. We have to get back to normal some time and your employer isn’t asking for something completely unreasonable are they. Have a look at research for the risks for those on mtx and hydroxy, maybe that will help you to feel able to go to the office again. Falling out with your employer over this isn’t going to help your stress levels so I’d try hard to find a solution that both of you are happy with.
I hear what your saying but to be honest there isn't any way of really keeping myself safe in the office, as it's hot desking but people, do not stick to fhe desks they should be so you end up with somebody next to you when there shouldn't be. I know what your saying about the medication but really none of us know how we will be if we get covid, whether it will be mild or bad, it's the unknown that worries me, I know I am lucky to have a job that allows me to work from home.
How about just saying that given your situation it will be necessary to continually review the situation as at the moment you do not feel that they could guarantee your safety.
Thiat is the route that I am hoping to go down whereby we work together when it's safe to go back in. We will see, thank you your reply.
Why does your manager want you back in the office? I would want to know why this is so important to her. Then you can have a more rational discussion. Is she worried that you aren't doing your job (and, if so, why)? Or is she being pressurised by someone else to get everyone back in the office? I have found that trying to find out from someone 'why?' often defuses what can become entrenched positions.
Companies are in business to make money…& nice as it would be be if we could all set our own hours & work in our own little bubble….what goes on to run any business is the manager/owner’s responsibility….& it is where the money comes from to pay wages. That is not giving in to the boss’ whim……it’s just a fact of life.
We don’t know what health & safety compromises companies are making or in some cases not making……..but right now a lot of companies are holding on by their finger tips….& when they soon start having to pay further payroll taxes…many will go out of business….& these jobs people are now not willing to go back to…..will not exist.With that will go a lot more stress.
Each individual company relies on a lot of other companies ….if any company in that chain drops out by ceasing to trade …. …..it’s not difficult to see how even more jobs will go.
I know a lot of people are very anxious about leaving the safety of their home but they should sit back and plan how they can protect themselves when they do go back to work ….rather than fighting to stay out of offices…..because working from home 100% just can’t happen for everyone who would like to do it.
The last two years have been difficult for everybody ….now we have all got to make an effort to make life more pleasant and safe for each other….bosses & workers have got to make compromises and that will probably only happen if they talk to each other face-to-face.
It is difficult but your health is a priority and must come first. You don't know what is going on behind the scenes and if there were to be cutbacks you could be on the list due to health issues. Do what is right for you. Good luck and good health.🐕🐕
I would say 2024, as you wish to see how Covid plays out. Mention the ridiculous rise in cases….. [she wanted a date…]. Also people will have to pay for testing soon…. Will they cover the cost of this???
I used to work from home and go in one (floating) day a week for meetings… I was a Project Manager, so where I was didn’t actually matter, as I was managing across several sites. I preferred sitting at my desk at home rather than spending 2 hours on a commute. And I was more productive..
To e honest I think I will look for a new job that is full time wfh as I don't need to be in an office, the last 2 years has proved that, as much as I do see that my manager is only doing what she is bring asked of her, I am concerned about my health and atm that comes first.
Hi. I would look certainly, but I would also contact HR and ask for an Occupational Health Assessment. I always prefer knowing ‘everything’ before I make a decision. It will be tough I appreciate, but will be worth doing.
Yes thanks for that I will look into that at our next mtg, see where that takes me. Thank you for your reply 🙂
If your manager is being pressurised from above, then it is even more important to jump through all the hoops and get an occupational health assessment (while you look for other jobs that you can do WFH.) My next door neighbour has a new job based on an office nearly 200 miles away and may only be required to go into the office four times a year if that! She lives with someone who is CEV and felt that this was important for the next couple of years (and works in Public Health, so knows what she is talking about).
My husband changed his job to a new one wfh as he didn't want to be in an office and then come home to me, I think I will ask about the assessment as it will be good to get everything done properly, I think if the covid numbers were going down I wouldn't be so concerned about going in, but knowing our office is getting regular covid cases every few days and knowing some people are not doing what they should be in the office makes me nervous. I have a mtg in a month's time with my manager so we will see where covid numbers are at by then and I will ask about the assessment. Thanks for your thoughts
With the really good treatments now available possibly the fear is much worse than the reality. I know it's difficult but eventually I think we will all get it and are you staying at home all the time ? as there is a risk going to a shop, cafe, walk even as the virus is so contagious so we have to live with it now forever. I am CEV and had covid the medication was swiftly administered and really it was a minor cough. So I'm not saying that it'll be the same for you but I'm not sure wether WFH will stop you getting the virus as I did everything to avoid getting it and still did. I feel sympathy for the teachers, people who work with the public to keep the country turning and who must go back and really now aren't we all in the same boat. Do you have to work in a hot desk office as surely even there they can designate a desk for you with a terminal and phone which might help. Playing devils advocate It could be your co employees who feel some angst if you stay away completely as in whilst you can do the work at home do they have to answer the phones more ? It's so difficult and you have my sympathy but I do think it is a different situation now than it was was last year.
Oh gosh it's a difficult situation all round, my husband and I have been being very careful over the past 2 years, we do go for walks, but they are very quiet, go to empty beaches, get shopping delivered and medication and try to do drs apps over the phone if I need to speak to a Dr. The phone system at work is on a system that comes through to me at home, so I'm not doing anything less than being in the office, if anything more work, as I log on earlier in the morning and get more done. I know we have to get back to some sort of normal and I do feel for those who have been having to go out from the start.
Yes so hard it was same here in the 5 days before I got Covid I'd only been out the house once to pick up a lampshade from John Lewis and that was it. I was really busy at home and in the greenhouse. We live out in the sticks no close neighbours and still got it. Our family were skiing so not them, no neighbours, so I said that to CMDU and doctor said so contagious that its going to be impossible to avoid and it could be that I just touched a surface and then my nose. But the antibody infusion is a game changer and it was nothing more than a very mild cough and a headache that went as soon as the infusion was over. I know its hard though and you can only do what's right for you but my risk from Abatercept and Azathyoprine is less than my Kidney Disease. So I wish you well but please don't get yourself so wound up that normal life becomes impossible. Eventually herd immunity must happen and we will live with Covid like flu every year. Flu kills too but we often forget that and to be honest my husband also got Covid and was a bit but not much worse than me or so he said........... lol xxx
Thank you, not good that you got Covid after being so careful, but good that it was mild for you. Well I suppose all we can do is try to be careful and try to get on with our lives as best as we can. Xx
citizensadvice.org.uk/work/... Found this today x
Hello CripLady, aww thank you for the link 😁 x
Long and painful wait.
Phone Appointment - what a shambles
Work worries like most of you
Take deep breaths and count to 10
