Refusal of a task

Marcon

TWIGLET1234 said:

Sncjw said:

It is a bit of a health and safety issue. If there were a fire and your trapped no one may realise until too late. 

Understand the logic, but the point I’m making is that I intend to refuse to go in to the office regardless. 

Then why bother to post here? You've made your decision.

Manxman_in_exile

I don't understand why you are posting here either as it's pretty clear you've made up your mind.  Every time somebody tries to point out why it might not be a good idea - and I don't think it is either - you come back with "Oh, you don't know the backstory... oh, it would take too long to explain why I feel as I do...  blah blah blah..."

To answer your question, nobody here knows what your manager is likely to do if you refuse to turn up.  They and your two colleagues might just smile to themselves and say  "Hmmm... Twiglet's being difficult again - what a surprise!" and completely ignore it but get on with the job, or they may consider it gross misconduct and sack you.

What I also don't understand is this:

TWIGLET1234 said:

Slinky said:

TWIGLET1234 said:

I have a massive workload this month and deadlines to meet, with one task requiring full concentration, and no interruptions. I do not need to be covering a reception office. 

If the boss wants you to sit in reception and file your nails, that's what you do. It's the bosses prerogative to ask for any reasonable task to be completed. Why are you stressing about a massive workload and deadlines? This isn't your problem anymore if you can't complete it.

I’m stressing about the deadlines because that’s who I am unfortunately and I want to get all these tasks tied up before I leave my job. This is why I had planned my resignation for a specific date, so that I can be happy that I’ve left everything up to date and make it easier in the transition period for the company.  These are legal obligation kind of deadlines which will result in fines if missed and I begrudge having to work extra hours to make up hours lost to being a receptionist for a day, when I am not a receptionist. 

Whilst I could sort of understand that if you were showing a different attitude to the one you are displaying here, why are you worried about completing your work?  You don't seem to be concerned when people point out it might be a H&S issue for your lone colleague if they are in on their own, or if it is now apparent that the needs of the business require that one person cannot be allowed to man the office on their own.  It seems to be a bit self-centred only to worry about getting your own job done at all costs - which is how the above comes across.

If the above demonstrates your best argument against going into work, tell your manager that going into work will delay your completion of other important tasks and will likely result in the employer being fined.  Ask him if he is OK with that.  (Is there a good reason why you can't complete your normal work in the office?).

Also tell him you will only come into the office on the basis that there will be a second person there at all times as you refuse to work on your own.  If your colleague leaves the office for any reason you will go home on H&S grounds.

But I don't think any of it is a good idea.

JamoLew

I find the OPs comments a bit at odds with each other.

They come across as not caring and are leaving anyway so they don't have to do anything they are being asked reasonably to do

BUT the are so conscientious that they want to finish a project before they leave from some sense of "professional" pride

getmore4less

Resign
Hand over all the work that needs doing,
Only take back what you can do in the time left
leave at end of notice.

prowla

You could go in for a couple of days for a break.

Dakta

" received an email this afternoon from my boss instructing me that I have to work in the office for two days next week due to one of the staff being on holiday. Apparently it’s a Health and Safety concern to only have one person in the office (!?) "

Some workplaces do do this for what are fairly common sense reasons, it looks like the request isn't permanent and it reads as totally reasonable to me. Is there a good reason why you can't accomodate? (I don't think avoiding working in the office because you want to get work done really cuts any mustard here, in fact it would likely raise eyebrows as to why you're singly incapable of conducting business effectively in a business environment).

At my place we work from home, but they can recall when they want and it's well understood.

I don't know why you can't assist your employer in helping accommodate another employees holiday but if it's on principle that you've been treat badly, remember it's just as much the other employee you might be punishing depending on how the company reacts to your refusal, also any moral highground you might have had is now spent because you're now an awkward employee and things have been dragged down to tit for tat standard.

Awkward employees generally don't enjoy good careers, and they moan about being mistreated a lot but I expect there's often a hint of deflection of blame there. We need to look after companies like we expect them to look after us.

Mickey666

TWIGLET1234 said:

Hi
I’ve written here a few weeks ago , but basically I’m resigning from my job of 15 years at the end of this month. Lots of reasons which I won’t go into here but lets just say that all my years of loyalty have been rewarded by being treated like crap. 

In my experience, many people get all emotional about their job and feel they are 'owed' something by their employer simply for doing their job for a long time.  This emotion can all too often lead to bitterness, which then becomes very destructive.

Fact: companies reward 'years of loyalty' by paying a regular salary for the work done.  It's a contract - you do your job and get paid for it.  What some people describe as a 'loyalty bonus', ie preferential or beneficial treatment by an employer, is usually nothing more than a commercial recognition of the value and experience the employee brings to the company.  We all know that some employees are 'better' than others and any sensible employer will 'look after' their best employees.

But, for whatever reason, you've decided to resign from the company so just do it and move on.  You owe them nothing and they owe you nothing.  It has been a simple business arrangement and you're now exercising your right to end it.  Do so with dignity and move on.

TWIGLET1234

Thank you ever so much to all of you who took the time to comment. As mentioned, I now understand the logic. However, my reason for posting (as it’s been questioned by one or two of you ) is to gauge the consequences of my refusal. The background does in fact matter as it pertains to bullying and my own mental health concerns. These issues surrounding the colleague with whom I am expected to “sit with”  I feel safer and happier at home. I don’t need to go into that background as I said but am being questioned above so have briefly touched on that. My desire to complete my outstanding tasks is personal and can be achieved if I am left alone at home to get on with it.  I do not need an onward reference as will not be seeking any other employment now or in the near future 

So to confirm, my point was more to what the consequences are of my refusal to work from the office. I have established that the worse case scenario will be a sacking on the basis of gross misconduct. I will accept that as my mental health really is priority here and I in turn will then not be required to complete the outstanding tasks ahead. So be it 
Thanks again all 

Sea_Shell

Worst case scenario could be them also withholding salary due, which you'd have to take them to court to reclaim.

Only you know how low your employer may stoop.

Dakta

"is to gauge the consequences of my refusal."

How long is a peice of string really, you're giving them every bit of ammunition and justification (plus an employee situation they still have to solve at the end of the day) so realistically I'd expect them to explore their options and do something.