Working From Home

bettydaviseyes

At the start of the pandemic the company I work for closed the office and we all took our computers home to work from home on temporary basis.  During this time our company was taken over and the office was sold.  We were told we wouldn’t be moving to a new office and we would continue working from home indefinitely.  

My colleagues were given laptops so they can work from home or, if they wanted to or needed to, they can work from one of the company’s offices in different parts of the country - my colleagues jobs involve travel.  My job doesn't involve travel so I wasnt given a laptop and continue to use the computer I took home.  

I am currently having building work done.   The downstairs floors have all been taken up and are being replaced, and all the furniture downstairs has been taken out.  I thought I could just take my computer upstairs and it would be fine, but, due to the location of the router, the leads and where the builders are working its not been possible.  

I have asked if I could have the use of a laptop so I could work upstairs but I was told there were none.

I have had no option but to use 3 days annual leave… so far.   If my colleages were having work done at home, they could take their laptops and work from anywhere, I can’t.  Am I being discriminated against?  I would really appreciate your thoughts.

Savvy_Sue

On what grounds do you think this might be discrimination?

Do you usually work from a wired connection? You can buy inexpensive wireless gadgets and boosters which should enable you to work wire free. Or at least one of my colleagues had a very long wired connection, to get up into the attic.

bettydaviseyes

I have always worked from a wired connection and all my colleagues did too until a year ago when they were given laptops (although they do a different job to me).

I do appreciate your suggestions though.  I did speak to the IT department asking what I could do but they said I couldn’t do anything.  My work computer is over 16 years old and there is nothing that can make it wireless/wire free.   My router is at the opposite end of the house to my stairs - so it would need to go from one end of the house to the other (avoiding the builders) and then upstairs so its not just a case of running a very long cable straight upstairs.  If it was Id have done it - anything to avoid taking leave.

If any of my colleagues were having work done at home they could take their laptop and work anywhere, they wouldnt have to take leave. I have no option but to take leave, this is why I am asking if it could be discrimination.

Dakta

I have an awkward house unsuited for WiFi plus I needed a solid connection for WFH so I bought powerline adapters that use the power wiring to transmit data. Not particularly expensive and they work very well and suitable for most circumstances where you have power to the wall near the device.

Can't comment with authority on the discrimination front but if the reason you can't have one is they don't have one to give I don't see how it is, there's nothing I know of to say you should have the same as others and if I understand it you have offices available albeit inconvenient due to being mike's away?

Personally I'd just enjoy the few days off, or if retaining holiday days is vital look at getting something like what I suggested. WFH is largely a privilege so can't really set the terms

Undervalued

bettydaviseyes said:

I have always worked from a wired connection and all my colleagues did too until a year ago when they were given laptops (although they do a different job to me).

I do appreciate your suggestions though.  I did speak to the IT department asking what I could do but they said I couldn’t do anything.  My work computer is over 16 years old and there is nothing that can make it wireless/wire free.   My router is at the opposite end of the house to my stairs - so it would need to go from one end of the house to the other (avoiding the builders) and then upstairs so its not just a case of running a very long cable straight upstairs.  If it was Id have done it - anything to avoid taking leave.

If any of my colleagues were having work done at home they could take their laptop and work anywhere, they wouldnt have to take leave. I have no option but to take leave, this is why I am asking if it could be discrimination.

"Discrimination" is only unlawful if it is on one of the legally protected grounds (such as race, religion, gender etc). Otherwise there is no obligation on an employer to treat all employees the same.

A smart new hotel near me advertised "work from here, £15 a day including fast wifi and unlimited coffee". I am sure there must be something similar so you could easily cut your losses. A library may well be free - although probably no coffee!

400ixl

Powerline adapters would likely be the easiest solution if you need to keep it wired.

killerferret666

Undervalued said:

bettydaviseyes said:

I have always worked from a wired connection and all my colleagues did too until a year ago when they were given laptops (although they do a different job to me).

I do appreciate your suggestions though.  I did speak to the IT department asking what I could do but they said I couldn’t do anything.  My work computer is over 16 years old and there is nothing that can make it wireless/wire free.   My router is at the opposite end of the house to my stairs - so it would need to go from one end of the house to the other (avoiding the builders) and then upstairs so its not just a case of running a very long cable straight upstairs.  If it was Id have done it - anything to avoid taking leave.

If any of my colleagues were having work done at home they could take their laptop and work anywhere, they wouldnt have to take leave. I have no option but to take leave, this is why I am asking if it could be discrimination.

"Discrimination" is only unlawful if it is on one of the legally protected grounds (such as race, religion, gender etc). Otherwise there is no obligation on an employer to treat all employees the same.

A smart new hotel near me advertised "work from here, £15 a day including fast wifi and unlimited coffee". I am sure there must be something similar so you could easily cut your losses. A library may well be free - although probably no coffee!

The hotel working is a thing ive ised and actually quite good and nice to see hotels finding a way to make extra cash but...

You do need a laptop, cant be lugging in a full tower machine 😁

As for the job, no idea of its discrimination but the fact you didnt ask before and give them time to see if they could sort it probably hasnt helped. We have done the same and some people have tower Pcs.

As others have said powerline adapaters or usb wireless dongle and perhaps mesh to give you good wifi everywhere.

bettydaviseyes

Dakta said:

I have an awkward house unsuited for WiFi plus I needed a solid connection for WFH so I bought powerline adapters that use the power wiring to transmit data. Not particularly expensive and they work very well and suitable for most circumstances where you have power to the wall near the device.

Can't comment with authority on the discrimination front but if the reason you can't have one is they don't have one to give I don't see how it is, there's nothing I know of to say you should have the same as others and if I understand it you have offices available albeit inconvenient due to being mike's away?

Personally I'd just enjoy the few days off, or if retaining holiday days is vital look at getting something like what I suggested. WFH is largely a privilege so can't really set the terms

That seems a good solution and worth a try (IT never suggested this could be an option).  I have just read they only work if they are on the same power circuit ring so would not be suitable if upstairs and downstairs are on separate rings, which mine are.  Is that so with yours?  

Its not inconvenient for me to travel to an office - I would like to go into an office and have asked if I can - I dont mind travelling.  They said I cant though as they don’t have spare computers “just lying around”.  They have plenty of hot desks though - only useful if you have a laptop though

elsien

Undervalued said:

bettydaviseyes said:

I have always worked from a wired connection and all my colleagues did too until a year ago when they were given laptops (although they do a different job to me).

I do appreciate your suggestions though.  I did speak to the IT department asking what I could do but they said I couldn’t do anything.  My work computer is over 16 years old and there is nothing that can make it wireless/wire free.   My router is at the opposite end of the house to my stairs - so it would need to go from one end of the house to the other (avoiding the builders) and then upstairs so its not just a case of running a very long cable straight upstairs.  If it was Id have done it - anything to avoid taking leave.

If any of my colleagues were having work done at home they could take their laptop and work anywhere, they wouldnt have to take leave. I have no option but to take leave, this is why I am asking if it could be discrimination.

"Discrimination" is only unlawful if it is on one of the legally protected grounds (such as race, religion, gender etc). Otherwise there is no obligation on an employer to treat all employees the same.

A smart new hotel near me advertised "work from here, £15 a day including fast wifi and unlimited coffee". I am sure there must be something similar so you could easily cut your losses. A library may well be free - although probably no coffee!

Wouldn’t work for me. Company security doesn’t allow for the use of public WiFi networks. And you can’t make confidential phone or teams calls. 
I could hotspot off my phone but then I can do that at home. And the company get cross if my data allowance goes through the roof with video calls. 

Dakta

My routers plugged into powerline in the living room downstairs and all my main desktops are plugged into walls upstairs without any issues.

What doesn't work well is plugging them into extensions it has to be the wall but some half a pass through socket design so you don't lose a socket 

I swear by then because WiFi even with a decent signal can be hit a d miss especially for voice or VPN connections 

bettydaviseyes

Sadlly not allowed to set up in a library or starbucks - i would be a laughing stock if I turned up somewhere with my great big computer, tower, monitor, printer and phone headset 😂