Working from home - no longer available!

Thanks for your advice all, I have a meeting with HR today to discuss flexible working (which also includes place as well as hours in our policy). I've written a list of how this will affect me both mentally, emotionally and financially (I live 2 hours out and its going to cost more than my mortgage every month getting in to London) and how i'm able to perform better from home.

I think i just completely freaked out over how this was going to affect me, had a meltdown and didn't think it through logically so thank you all for giving me some grounded ideas and advice

SarahT93 said:

I took a job about a year ago on the terms i could work from home the majority of the time due to the stress of commuting and the work environment.

Legally you have 2 options here.

1 - you say you took the job on the condition you coud work from home. If you have this in writing from the company (not the recruitment agency though) then this is your legal shield.

2 - if you disclosed your autism diagnosis and got approval for working from home as part of the "reasonable adjustments" part of the law. Without this you will have a hard time.

SarahT93 said:

I can't work under these conditions to the best of my ability...

If they continue to insist you do it and they are officially informed of your condition plus request for reasonable adjustments then you can only give them what you can - don't make yourself ill over it.

If you have neither of the above in place then I would start job hunting for a more suitable role because your employer would have no need to accommodate your request to stay home.

Does your employer know you are Autistic?  If not, perhaps telling them and asking perhaps for just one day a week in your case?

if they do know, I would suggest asking if you could come in less often due to your circumstances.

Hi SarahT93 - how funny, I am in a similar situation. I am a 100% remote worker and my company just announced that we will be required to be in the office for 3 days every quarter. Obviously, this is a lot less than you - but interesting that this is a theme. I think companies are thinking 'covid is over - get back to the office' but people are now thinking, no - why would I come to the office when I can get everything done from here? 

I live 3.5hrs by train from my company (based in London) so it is not a short trip and requires an overnight stay. 

I am so sorry that your company are doing this. I don't know the details of it but I have seen people online talk about special measures that their company's HR department must consider when one has a disability. Have you disclosed to your work that you have autism? 

I personally find working from an office impossible - it's so noisy and distracting, everyone wants to speak to you constantly and its extremely unproductive. I am a better worker from home. 

Sending you lots of positive vibes :) 

Maybe the email wasn't meant for you and was sent out accidentally? I would talk to the person in charge and find out everything before you get too worked up and then see if you can continue to work from home. Working from home is ideal really for me as well. I'm hoping in time I can work from home.

Do you have a contract that specifies that you can work from home and does it specify the hours working from home?