Covid - Being forced to work in the office

h_m_boro

Well-known member
Anyone know what the legal implications are regarding your employer "forcing" you to go back to the office full time........when none of your colleagues are?

Basically I've been working from home since January, but due to unreasonable workloads had enough and handed my notice in on Friday.

Hasn't gone down well, more work has been loaded on me, and had a to-do with one of the Directors this morning - which resulted in them then asking me to work from the office full time until I leave.

Covid rules clearly state that if I can work from home I should, so petty company directors can over rule government guidance.......?

Don't know where I stand if I refuse 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️
 
if you have another job lined up, or are likely to be ok just tell them to stick it..

or are you in a buisness that you may need to rely on leving on good terms?
 
Anyone know what the legal implications are regarding your employer "forcing" you to go back to the office full time........when none of your colleagues are?

Basically I've been working from home since January, but due to unreasonable workloads had enough and handed my notice in on Friday.

Hasn't gone down well, more work has been loaded on me, and had a to-do with one of the Directors this morning - which resulted in them then asking me to work from the office full time until I leave.

Covid rules clearly state that if I can work from home I should, so petty company directors can over rule government guidance.......?

Don't know where I stand if I refuse 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️
Health and safety at Work Act 1974 "...employers must provide a safe place of work..."
Management of Health and safety at Work Regulations -Risk Assessments must be provided
 
Always leave on good terms, you never know when you may need another job in the future.
Inform your HR Manager that you will continue to work from home in accordance with Government instructions.
Continue to work dilligently whilst at home until you leave, attend Teams Meetings etc.
 
They go low, I go high.

Always been my mantra in workplace situations.
That's no fun man. I have known loads of people who get emotionally invested in their workplace and when they leave they are frightened to tell the boos, they don't want to dissappoint. It's just a job. We should bever forget that.

In your next teams meeting, switch your camera on, have a glass of wine and put your feet on the desk. When someone speaks to you, respond with : "Sorry I was playing angry birds, what was that again?"
 
Cheers everyone, some of these comments.....😁😁.

I've actually cleared with my new company a 5 week notice period to enable the bulk of this work to be done, tried to be professional, leave on good terms. But not to be. Company, only 8 of us, so no HR etc so dealing directly with the directors who have started to be dicks.

Government advice is to work from home if you can and don't travel - I am working from home, and I don't want to travel 23 miles and back to the office to be ignored/talked to like sh*t for 9.5 hrs a day.

b***ks with them, don't want to do it but the stress/anxiety sicknote is coming out.☹️☹️
 
Ask for a clear risk assessment detailing specifically how they intend to guarantee your health and well being. They need to invest in an office space on your own, provide details of what cleaning schedules they intend to implement and level of cleaning involved. They need to provide a safe and clean place for you to take rest breaks including lunch away from your desk/office. They also need to provide details on Bathroom facilities for you to use. Then ask for them to put in writing the reasons why they intend to break with government advice and on what grounds they require you to return to the office. Make sure you state clearly that you have not had the vaccine yet. Then ask for it to be signed off by the management team and HR.

If once they give you these details you are still not happy... go on the sick or use holidays to see out your notice.
 
1) Ask for it in writing that you must work from the office, ask why your role is not tenable from home, when others doing the same role are allowed to
2) Ask for their workplace covid risk assessment
3) Contact HR with a grievence about being forced to come into work when your colleagues doing the same role are not, as a petulant and life threatening retaliation to handing in your notice.
 
1) Ask for it in writing that you must work from the office, ask why your role is not tenable from home, when others doing the same role are allowed to
2) Ask for their workplace covid risk assessment
3) Contact HR with a grievence about being forced to come into work when your colleagues doing the same role are not, as a petulant and life threatening retaliation to handing in your notice.
Unfortunately we don't have an HR so it's dealing directly with the directors. Good points though, I'll compose an email with these points. Thanks👍
 
H M Boro if you think this through for a moment, you hold ALL the cards here. You gave an extended notice period to finish up and hand over, when you didn't have to. They could have refused this, but clearly needed that additional time. That being the case have some fun with the situation. Tell them no, shrug your shoulders and get on with your day. When the director speaks down to you, tell him to "keep a civil tongue in his head" and hang up
 
document everything mate, similar thing happened to a family member years ago (not working from home related) but a small company with no HR and the directors took the ****. ended up in court and he had them over a barrel over every argument because he has documented and logged everything. you'll be amazed how much they won't give a **** about you
 
Sounds like they are just trying to flex their muscles but as you are leaving anyway, they have very little power, even less in the current climate, if you can work from home, you must work from home.
 
document everything mate, similar thing happened to a family member years ago (not working from home related) but a small company with no HR and the directors took the ****. ended up in court and he had them over a barrel over every argument because he has documented and logged everything. you'll be amazed how much they won't give a **** about you
Same happened to me. Small family firm, no HR and one of the family wanted me out. As BoroFur said, "they went low, I went high'. Bided my time until I got accepted for the perfect job, I documented everything and when hauled in front of the Directors after handing in my notice they conceded they had absolutely nothing against me. For every claim they "thought" they had against me, I not only had the response, but the dates, times and witnesses to corroborate my side. That was a good day! :D
 
Apologies for the hi jack ... Im in the opposite boat been out of work over 14 months. Started a temporary admin assignmemt today at Wilton (what a maze of a place that is) theyre giving me a laptop, scanner and printer so i can work from home. I know jack $hit about this job im used to the comfort of having someone at the next desk or office when i get stuck, theyll be minimal training once my IT stuff arrives hopefully tomorrow (sat for 3 hours today twiddling my thumbs until they realised no laptop would be happening today and said have an extended lunch).

How easy or hard is it working from home, i noticed in the office today there's no radio (i cant work without background noise) my worry is the tv will go on once something like Cheltenham comes round or the Darts, how do you stop yourself from this (apart from take the plug off the TV haha)
 
Apologies for the hi jack ... Im in the opposite boat been out of work over 14 months. Started a temporary admin assignmemt today at Wilton (what a maze of a place that is) theyre giving me a laptop, scanner and printer so i can work from home. I know jack $hit about this job im used to the comfort of having someone at the next desk or office when i get stuck, theyll be minimal training once my IT stuff arrives hopefully tomorrow (sat for 3 hours today twiddling my thumbs until they realised no laptop would be happening today and said have an extended lunch).

How easy or hard is it working from home, i noticed in the office today there's no radio (i cant work without background noise) my worry is the tv will go on once something like Cheltenham comes round or the Darts, how do you stop yourself from this (apart from take the plug off the TV haha)

try to set up in a different room from a TV. i have an alexa sat on the desk and have heart radio on most of the day. started to get into podcasts too. i've been sat here 11 months now mostly on my jack. you kind of make your own hours so i do the school runs and food shop during my normal working hours and start earlier, work later etc. if i'm quiet i'll hoover on a friday. so i can spend the weekend with the family without chores to do :cool:
 
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