The Work Thread 2 - Get back to work!

[pjbetman]

I thought they couldn't technically force you, but they can change your contract with enough notice, and if you refuse to accept/sign the new contract then you're effectively treated as resigning?

They can't make it retroactive, so they'd still need to pay the expenses this month, and during the notice period of the change, but they can change the contract whether you like it or not.
At least that's my understanding of how things work.


Though what the strawberry float are you driving if an extra 20 minutes each way is resulting in a £200/month increase in fuel costs?

Yes. I'm pretty sure you're right. There might be an exception to that if it was too far away to be reasonable, grey area though.

I think I'd be carrying on regardless, hoping they don't change your contract.... Then submit like 3 months expenses in one go or some similar shenanigans. If you start making more fuss now, they'll get you a new contract sooner.


The other thing is, you're old office is your starting point of your day (until /unless they change it), so your extra travel time should be part of your day. Don't say strawberry float all to them until they wonder why you're leaving work 40 minutes early each day haha.

Of course, all of this is going to lead to you leaving - willingly or not, as you're not happy with the proposed changes, so you'll be looking for another job either way. But at least you get to delay it under your own terms and with enough time to find something else. Take a load of sick days too.

Go and work for your local takeaway doing deliveries - you can get £12/hr doing that.... It'll keep you going whilst you look for something else.

[pjbetman]

Someone just responded to a comment in the office by saying:

"Well it is what it is, at the end of the day."

I nearly had a brain aneurysm.

[Green Gecko]

The reason they won't pay the expenses is that travel to and between a regular place of work isn't counted as a tax deductible business expense under tax rules as it's your normal place of work and so they won't get any tax relief from paying that to you making it effectively free. So they'll expect you to pay it once the new office becomes your regular place of work. They should however continue to pay your expenses for travelling to client sites including subsistence so lunch, dinner etc if this means your work day is something like longer than 9 hours for lunch and 12 hours for dinner, although I can't remember the exact rules from contracting.

Just to add on this one I believe the rule from HMRC is that if you have spent more than 40% of your time working at a location for a period of 24 months then it becomes your regular place of work.

Interesting, thanks for that.

I started not claiming commuting to a coworking space just because I was going there a couple of times per month i.e. repeatedly which was probably unfair on me. Anyhow I've racked up more expenses than I would like

[Moggy]

My nephew had a sickness bug on Saturday. My son had it Monday night. My wife had it Wednesday night. And I had it last night.

Thanks to Bradford I couldn’t afford to ring in sick and so I figured I would work from home. Because Greta Thunberg is coming to Bristol, we were told yesterday that anybody could work from home if they wanted.

I feel rough but working at home isn’t too bad and I can get to a toilet quickly if need be. And then I get a message from one of the team leaders here, telling me I have to take it as a sick day. I say I am not sick enough to take the day as sick, I just don’t want to infect anybody else.

That’s not good enough apparently, only people who drive to work are allowed to work from home today (that isn’t what was said yesterday). And so I have come back to work.

I am going to spit on everything in this office. I want the whole damn building to catch this.

[Preezy]

Because Greta Thunberg is coming to Bristol, we were told yesterday that anybody could work from home if they wanted.

Is she that unpopular?

[Jenuall]

Just had to endure some of the people in work moaning about Greta coming here. "Hasn't she got anything better to do?!"

Oh I'm sorry that you are, at worst, going to be mildly inconvenienced by the visit of someone trying to raise awareness for the looming global strawberry floating climate crisis that threatens to destroy our current existence on this planet unless we do something about it. My strawberry floating heart bleeds for you.

[Moggy]

I sent my concerns to our HR manager. She’s as useful as a chocolate teapot.

Only you know how you feel, therefore it is important that if you are not feeling well, to absolutely take the time off work to recover. I’m sure by no means you have been forced to come in if you are unwell.

If you are well enough to work but have a preference for working from home, this should be considered locally with what your management have requested (i.e pre- approval before doing so).

If you have suffered with Diarrhoea or vomiting, please see the following info on the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diarrhoea-and-vomiting/ and you should Stay off work until you have not been sick or had diarrhoea for at least 2 days. Seek assistance from your GP of course as appropriate.

Key guidance for preventing spreading germs is to wash hands with soap and water frequently.

If you still have a concerns, please let me know. I can also discuss with your management team.

I replied, laying on thick the concerns over people spreading diseases in the office, especially with coronavirus spreading around the world. I pointed out that the Bradford factor scores were forcing people to come in as people are being dragged to disciplinary meetings.

If you are too unwell to work, Bradford factor scores should not impact your decision to take the day off of work due to illness. We have a fair and reasonable absence management process, which is exercised as appropriate.

The decision on home working is managed on a local level on a case by case basis.

As you have raised a concerns around germs spreading in the office and home working, I shall discuss this further with your management team.

HR are always so bloody useless.

I’ve been spitting on my fingers and wiping them everywhere I can today.

[Jenuall]

From the stories you've been dropping in here I don't think the policy at your place of work could be considered "fair and reasonable"!

Either way you've rattled the cage now so I expect the P45 will be ready any moment.

[Moggy]

From the stories you've been dropping in here I don't think the policy at your place of work could be considered "fair and reasonable"!

Either way you've rattled the cage now so I expect the P45 will be ready any moment.

I can't afford to lose my job, but a P45 sound strawberry floating lovely at the moment.

[Cheeky Devlin]

I sent my concerns to our HR manager. She’s as useful as a chocolate teapot.

Only you know how you feel, therefore it is important that if you are not feeling well, to absolutely take the time off work to recover. I’m sure by no means you have been forced to come in if you are unwell.

If you are well enough to work but have a preference for working from home, this should be considered locally with what your management have requested (i.e pre- approval before doing so).

If you have suffered with Diarrhoea or vomiting, please see the following info on the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diarrhoea-and-vomiting/ and you should Stay off work until you have not been sick or had diarrhoea for at least 2 days. Seek assistance from your GP of course as appropriate.

Key guidance for preventing spreading germs is to wash hands with soap and water frequently.

If you still have a concerns, please let me know. I can also discuss with your management team.

I replied, laying on thick the concerns over people spreading diseases in the office, especially with coronavirus spreading around the world. I pointed out that the Bradford factor scores were forcing people to come in as people are being dragged to disciplinary meetings.

If you are too unwell to work, Bradford factor scores should not impact your decision to take the day off of work due to illness. We have a fair and reasonable absence management process, which is exercised as appropriate.

The decision on home working is managed on a local level on a case by case basis.

As you have raised a concerns around germs spreading in the office and home working, I shall discuss this further with your management team.

HR are always so bloody useless.

I’ve been spitting on my fingers and wiping them everywhere I can today.

Typhoid Moggy

[Squinty]

The issue I would have with this, is that they are basically treating certain people differently because they drive. I would imagine it's still going to be an utter bollocks for people who don't, depending on when she's knocking about.

[Jenuall]

Is there actually anyone else in your office today then Moggy or has pretty much everyone taken advantage of this "work from home" opporunity?

[Moggy]

The issue I would have with this, is that they are basically treating certain people differently because they drive. I would imagine it's still going to be an utter bollocks for people who don't, depending on when she's knocking about.

The Greta thing was overhyped, it's not been that bad in Bristol. But yeah, they are basically saying that drivers can do what they like, whereas those that live close have to come in no matter what. What's the strawberry floating point of giving us laptops?

Is there actually anyone else in your office today then Moggy or has pretty much everyone taken advantage of this "work from home" opporunity?

There’s a few people in. My boss, her best mate and a few others all took advantage though and are nowhere to be seen. It’s a piss poor excuse, one guy travelled up from Torquay today and made it in.

The woman that sits next to me has just started running to the toilet to puke, so it looks like we are going to be swapping diseases. She can’t leave either, she’s too frightened of the Bradford score.

[Kezzer]

don't run to the toilet, just vomit on everything.

[Moggy]

don't run to the toilet, just vomit on everything.

I'm not vomiting, it's the other end. I'd like to take a runny gooseberry fool on some of the peoples desks, but I am like a cat and don't like to be watched shitting.

[Kezzer]

do it in a mug and pour it out?

All I am getting here moggy is problems not solutions. Sort it out, you are in work!

[Moggy]

do it in a mug and pour it out?

All I am getting here moggy is problems not solutions. Sort it out, you are in work!

Ok, I did listen to you. I scooped a load of my runny excrement into my hands and threw it into a team leaders face. I then screamed "strawberry floating KEZZER TOLD ME TO DO IT" and went back to my desk.

[Jenuall]

Okay, now the P45 is definitely on the way!

[Kezzer]

good lad

[That's not a growth]

I had one of those moments yesterday where I noticed something, and now I'm not going to be able to live in blissful ignorance any more.

My manager doesn't answer questions.

He'll give long, winding instructions on to do something. You then ask a question to confirm you understand something. Rather than giving a simple 'yes' or 'no', he goes into another rambling story.

I knew he could ramble, but strawberry floating hell once I noticed this I couldn't unsee it.