Forced Return to work

Celcus1845

Hi.
I wonder if anyone can help me / point me in the direction of some help please? 
I have been working from home since lockdown and during lockdown had a new baby. I have had chemo in the past and had a letter to inform me the chemo I had could have effected my lungs and my treatment for covid would be different.
My work have informed me they would be putting the necessary precautions in place but I wanted to know what my rights were please? We have kept our 5 year old off school and we feel September was a better time for me to return to the office as the youngest has had his first 16 week immunisations. 
I don't want to go in too early and risk infection. 
Can anyone confirm if I can be forced back in to the office legally please?

Thrugelmir

You can ask to remain at home on unpaid leave. Covid is here for the foreseeable future you need to decide whether your future is your current employer. 

LilElvis

What date did you give to your employer for your return to work after maternity leave? If you wish to change this date then you are required to give your employer eight weeks notice.

Celcus1845

Sorry LilElvis, I'm the father. I had 2 weeks paternity and now back at work from home. 

[Deleted User]

They can not "force" you into the office, however if you refuse then they can fire you.

None of the 16 week immunisations have anything to do with Covid so that is irrelevant. If I were you I would talk with your employer about about what they are implementing and mention the letter you had, although if it would only affect treatment rather than it being a shielding letter then it may well not be important. Realistically the risk in September vs now is unlikely to be any different.

If you have genuine areas of concern (rather than a general worry) they it would be a good idea to identify those specifically with your employer. That might be that there is normally a 08:50 rush for the lifts, so could you start at 08:30 some days and 09:30 others to miss the rush for example.

poppy12345

Have you received the NHS shielding letter? I also note that you've had a baby during lockdown, i'm assuming that your maternity leave is ending?

Mrsn

LilElvis said:

What date did you give to your employer for your return to work after maternity leave? If you wish to change this date then you are required to give your employer eight weeks notice.

I think this might actually be babies father, at least that’s the way I’ve interpreted it.

poppy12345

How odd, i didn't see the other comments when i commented. My daughter had a new baby during lockdown and he's 13 weeks old now. Her partner has been furloughed since March, started off with 2 weeks annual holiday before the baby was born. He's now been asked to return to work on Wednesday, which he's intending on doing so. The baby is due to have his last jabs in the next couple of weeks but there's definitely no risk of infection to the baby because they haven't had all of their jabs...

If you haven't received the shielding letter then you're not shielding, you're isolating.