I was hoping she’d post about it, but I’ll do it instead.
My mom works for the state and is protected by a union. It’s a stable, well paying job. We live comfortably.
She also has OCD and extreme Covid anxiety. She already hated her cubicle because the lighting, the noise, the coworkers, everything. She loves her job but hates the office.
So, naturally, she was relieved when her office went remote in 2020. She had her own office space, the lighting she wanted, she could wear pajamas, and of course, no Covid. Even now, she barely leaves the house from such extreme Covid anxiety. She works better from home, too. She focuses much better and provides all the work she’s paid to do and beyond.
But a few months ago, her office started trying to bring everyone back in person. They didn’t like it for the same dumb reasons every workplace does, and started to try to bring her back too. She resisted and managed to work out deals with them that allowed her to work from home, and then that would run out, and she’d need to do that repeatedly. It includes getting a doctors note explicitly saying this person MUST work from home. Her doctor is known for being slow already and turning in documents and forms weeks later than they were needed to be in, but on top of that, her doctor is slowly not wanting her at home too, and is refusing the note.
Now, the office is doubling down. Her working from home agreement expires tomorrow, and either they need to approve her for another few months literally in the next 12 hours, or they need to find her her own closed off room to work in. Literally the consequences of forcing her to go back would be catastrophic. She’d have panic attacks and breakdowns and wouldn’t be able to produce the same results she can produce at home. And they stupidly think bringing her back would make her work more efficiently, and she’s already one of the most efficient on her team.
She’s stressed and our whole family is stressed for her. Her mental health would suffer so much if she went back.
And y’know what’s the most stupid thing about all this? She works for the state office of mental health. They can’t even attend to the mental health of their employees.
I should mention, she’s thought about quitting. But the pay is so good and the pension will be pretty fantastic if she stays a few more years. It’s her choice, not mine.
Edit: Mom, if you see this, you know who you are. Feel free to add details if I forgot any.