Working from home request

BellaBoo0512

Hi I currently work 2 full days per week. In my contract this should be one day from home and one day in the office. I suffer with chronic pain so my employer has been allowing me to work from home ongoing until I am in less pain and able to go in to the office. 

The thing is, I don’t see my pain improving any time soon. I have to ask every week if I’m okay working from home because of the pain. Am I within my rights to request to work from home permanently or could this cause me problems? I feel like messaging my employer every week that eventually they are going to turn around and say I need to go back into the office. 

I’m in no less pain working from home than I would be going in to the office but I’m struggling with driving and if I go into the office it means getting up an hour earlier and having to drive there and back home. 

Alex_Alumni

Hi @BellaBoo0512 is this something you're able to speak about with HR, or your manager? It sounds like you've got flexible working in place as a reasonable adjustment.

I don't think there's any harm in reviewing this adjustment if you feel you need to to work at your best. Perhaps you can ask for a meeting with your employer to chat about this.

Are you a member of a union at all? It may be helpful to have a union representative, or else a trusted colleague, with you. They can support you in meeting with your employer.

If you'd like to read guidance on reasonable adjustments, ACAS has information on reviewing reasonable adjustments, which I hope is helpful. 

If there's anything I've missed, please let me know  

JeannieF

Alex_Scope said:

Hi @BellaBoo0512 is this something you're able to speak about with HR, or your manager? It sounds like you've got flexible working in place as a reasonable adjustment.

I don't think there's any harm in reviewing this adjustment if you feel you need to to work at your best. Perhaps you can ask for a meeting with your employer to chat about this.

Are you a member of a union at all? It may be helpful to have a union representative, or else a trusted colleague, with you. They can support you in meeting with your employer.

If you'd like to read guidance on reasonable adjustments, ACAS has information on reviewing reasonable adjustments, which I hope is helpful. 

If there's anything I've missed, please let me know  

Hi Alex, I have a similar issue. It’s a small company and we have no HR dept or a union. Do you know if I can get someone from somewhere to attend a meeting with my employer to help support me? I don’t think my boss will listen to me but if I had someone there with me he might listen. 

MW123

@BellaBoo0512
@jennief

Under the Flexible Working Regulations 2014, employees who have been with the same employer for at least 26 weeks have the right to request flexible working arrangements. Although employers are required to give these requests serious consideration, they can deny them if there are valid business reasons for doing so.

To initiate the process, Bella, Jennie, you must submit a written request to your employer. To strengthen  your case, you might want to consider including a letter from your doctor. or other supporting evidence as to why you are requesting it. Once your employer receives your request, they are legally obligated to review it and provide a response within a reasonable timeframe.

Hannah_Alumni

Hello @JeannieF

Welcome to the community! Unfortunately, Alex doesn't work here anymore but I see MW123 has given some great advice As for having someone with you for anything in person, you can join a union yourself if you feel that would be beneficial.

Cressida

Hannah_Scope said:

Hello @JeannieF

Welcome to the community! Unfortunately, Alex doesn't work here anymore but I see MW123 has given some great advice As for having someone with you for anything in person, you can join a union yourself if you feel that would be beneficial.

Sorry you cannot just join a Union to help with an ongoing problem. You usually have to be a member before they can help with these types of issues. 

Hannah_Alumni

@Cressida But you can join a union for further advice and see where they could support. They can also have a lot of information pages available, but some are only able to be accessed once a member.