THOUSANDS of workers have been told to return to their offices from June 21 as the country braces itself to reopen when Covid restrictions get eased.
Deutsche Bank is the latest firm to ramp up its staff numbers in its London-based office this summer if the government goes ahead with stage four of lockdown easing.
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According to Financial News, the bank – which has 6,500 employees in the capital – is aiming to bring back more employees after Boris Johnson said the national work-from-home order should lift after June 21.
The PM told everyone to continue to work from home if they can for the meantime, but has stressed we will be back in the office soon.
Speaking last month about the return of workers to offices around the country, he said: “I think it’ll come back remarkably quickly, but it does depend on keeping the virus down.”
But an official government review on working from home is expected to come soon.
There has been back and forth throughout the lockdown whether people should remain at home – and many firms have chosen to adopt a hybrid model.
This would typically see workers split their time between their offices and home as Brits familiarise themselves to what life was like before coronavirus.
It comes as a recent poll suggests half of workers will go into the office just three days a week after lockdown.
The government is also expected to release guidance on social distancing and face masks very soon.
Official guidance has previously been given to workers who can't do their jobs from home, such as those in construction or manufacturing, "should be actively encouraged to go to work".
Employment expert Gary Rycroft of online complaints tool Resolver said it is "reasonable" for an employer to ask employees who aren't able to do their job from home to return to work.
Before opening again, offices have to undertake a health and safety risk assessment to make sure they're Covid secure.
Employers have been encouraged to stagger working shifts to have fewer people in and they must ensure there are hand washing facilities in the office.
Workers are likely to be expected to adhere to social distancing guidelines and employers must increase the ventilation inside the building.
And throughout the pandemic employers have been urged to be reasonable when dealing with their staff.
In terms of the law, there is no legal requirement of how much notice an employer must give you before calling you back to work.
If someone still doesn’t want to return back to work they may be able to arrange with their employer to take time off as holiday or unpaid leave.
However the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) said the employer does not have to agree to this.
If you can't reach an agreement with your employer and you refuse to attend work without a valid reason, Mr Rycroft said this can in theory lead to your dismissal.
RETURNING TO THE OFFICE? HERE’S ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW….
How much notice do employers have to give?
There is no legal requirement of how much notice an employer must give you before calling you back to work. But they are expected to be reasonable.
What if I don't think it's safe?
Employers have a legal duty to keep staff safe when they're at work.
Under Section 100 of the Employments Rights Act 1996, employees have the right to leave their jobs immediately if there is an imminent threat to health and safety.
If you're worried that your employer isn't taking all practical steps to promote social distancing at work, you should report them to your local authority.
What rules do offices have to follow to make them safe?
- Stagger working shifts to have fewer people in the office
- Provide hand washing facilities
- Make sure there are fewer staff in the same room and lifts
- Ensure workers can social distance
- Provide workers' with their own equipment so they don't have to share with colleagues, including pens
- Increase the ventilation in the building
Can I use public transport?
Yes, the government said it's safe to go back on trains, buses and public transport again after the coronavirus crisis.
Although, the PM suggested Brits should use other modes of transport if possible.
Public transport will also be following strict COVID-secure standards, including requiring passengers to cover their nose and mouths with a face mask.
Can my employer fire me if I don't want to go back to work?
If someone still doesn't want to go back to work, they may be able to arrange with their employer to take the time off as holiday or unpaid leave.
But the employer doesn't have to agree to this, ACAS said.
If you can't reach an agreement with your employer and you refuse to attend work without a valid reason, Mr Rycroft said this can in theory lead to your dismissal.
Can I be forced to take holiday?
Your employer can ask you to take annual leave, but it should give you notice.
This is usually double the amount of time they want you to have off.
For example, if they want you to use five days' worth of your holiday allowance, they should give you ten days' notice.
You may be able to carry over any unused holiday days, but the decision will ultimately be down to your employer.
Michele Piertney, senior adviser of ACAS, told The Sun: "The coronavirus crisis will impact everyone in different ways so there’s nothing set in employment law outlining a minimum period to return to work during a health pandemic.
"Employees and workers should be ready to return to work at short notice and employers should be flexible where possible.
"Our advice is that bosses should talk to staff about returning to work.
"Many workers may be anxious about going back to work and so it is good practice to involve them in discussions about possible risks at work and what they can do to reduce these concerns."
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