Working from home but returning to office

StephanieW

Hi, 

We have been working from home since 23rd March (recruitment) and there is no aspect of our role we cannot perform from home. 

80% of our company have been furloughed this time and are not returning until at least mid July, but those of us still working have been told to return to the office in two weeks time.

Do we have any right to refuse if the government advice is still saying work from home if you can? 

sharpe106

No as the company wants you in the office. The only thing on your side is health and safety if they are unable to put social distance working etc into place but I would have though that would be easy enough in that kind of job. 

bradders1983

Of course you have the right to refuse. That comes with the downside of the company not paying you.

Grumpy_chap

You can't refuse if the employer wants you back at the office.  You can ask for clarity how it will be managed and whether there will be flexibility of working from home in the future.  Given the general business climate, though, I would suggest that it is best if you can to attend the office and see how it is all set up rather than risk being seen as a challenger ahead of time.

sharpe106

Can't see how an office with only a few people in it can be any more of a risk for staff then companies that are already open, shops etc 

Thrugelmir

StephanieW said:

Do we have any right to refuse if the government advice is still saying work from home if you can? 

You can refuse. How your employer views your actions is another matter. If there's a reduction in headcount then factors such as this will form part of the decision making process as to who leaves. 

A better approach would be to go back to work with a positive attitude and negotiate some home working.

Potbellypig

StephanieW said:

Hi, 

We have been working from home since 23rd March (recruitment) and there is no aspect of our role we cannot perform from home. 

80% of our company have been furloughed this time and are not returning until at least mid July, but those of us still working have been told to return to the office in two weeks time.

Do we have any right to refuse if the government advice is still saying work from home if you can? 

All the answers above are correct for you, but it also wouldn't do any harm in putting forward your justification for working from home, or at least part working from home. Your office will of course need to be 'covid secure' too. 

rosiesposies

many businesses will be looking to keep people at home permanently, reduced overheads and benefits outweigh returning to normal but it is a lot of work to get set up, unless forced, like we all find ourselves now. 
i plan on moving my whole department to 80/20 home/office but it will be a long process to get it right. personally i would rather do 50/50 but MD wants as little people returning as possible when 'normality' resumes. 
every business will approach differently but not all that make decisions know what is best, all the time. engaging with your employees is key in times like these. 

Grumpy_chap

If the employer wants you back at work, you have to go back.  There are a number of threads on here where people on furlough have been asked back and find any number of reasons why they think they cannot go back.  I doubt many of those people choosing not to go back for whatever reason will have a job to go back to.  Up until now, that has been just my suspicion.

However, I have just spoken to someone I know well about jobs they are posting on a well-known jobs board desperately needing people for immediate start.  I was surprised that they had so many vacancies.  The view the company is taking is they have people who have found excuses not to return when asked, but the company reckon they can fill all those gaps that they are now left with from elsewhere.  As soon as the gaps are filled, there will be a round of dismissals.  The company were taking a harsh line, saying they were not yet decided on disciplinary or redundancy routes, but they could not afford to "carry" anyone.

[Deleted User]

@Grumpy_chap
I also know of companies taking this course of action, their view is that unless the person has a shielding letter (where they are willing to be flexible) then people refusing to come back to work are not willing to make an effort to support the company and so will be disciplined and got rid of. The companies in question have all topped up to 100%, not only from the 80%, but also for people who earned more than the £2.5k pcm threshold so they are far from unreasonable. One of them has even done a video tour of their offices, of how things have been changed to make them "Covid secure", that they will allow part working from home etc. but some people are refusing, some angrily, demanding that they be left on furlough on full pay until the end of October. 

Too many people seem to expect a free ride, unfortunately a lot of people will be losing their jobs over the next eighteen months, those that are not prepared to knuckle down are going to be the ones who lose out the most. 

Grumpy_chap

Good for me though - nice opportunity 🙂