#RemoteWork #ADAaccommodation #CommuteStruggles
Hey there, fellow remote workers! 👋 Have any of you experienced being forced to commute around 150 miles a day after years of working remotely? I recently found myself in this situation and it’s been a real struggle.
Here’s a quick rundown of my predicament:
– Hired as a remote worker during the pandemic
– Department moved to a new one with a 5-day in-office policy
– ADA accommodation request to continue remote work denied
– Facing significant costs and wear and tear on my car
I love my job but this commute is taking a toll on me. Has anyone else dealt with something similar and successfully fought back against it? I could really use some advice or tips on how to handle this situation.
And hey, if you’ve successfully navigated a similar challenge, please share your story and any insights you gained along the way. Let’s help each other out! 🌟
Possible solution:
– Consider negotiating a hybrid work arrangement
– Look into carpooling or public transportation options
– Seek support from HR or legal resources if necessary
Let’s brainstorm and support each other through this! 💪 #RemoteWorkStruggles #EmployeeRights
I would quit.
If the company moves your normal location of work by at least a certain number of miles, that can qualify you for unemployment benefits if you quit as a result of the move. Check your state’s unemployment website for their specific rule on this.
You work for bullies and exploiters of humans. Plus the environmental impact and waste. Get out as soon as you can.
Make an LLC, put your car and all associated bills on the LLC. The IRS standard rate for compensation is 67 cents a mile.
Bill your AP department from the LLC for your mileage and road time at your employment rate.
If they pay you, then realize their fuckup make them sue the LLC. Only asset under the LLC is the car you use to commute. So they would seize the only way for you to get to work ending your problem.
This is terrible advice, but also, they are assholes. Don’t play their game. Find a new remote job or if they use consultants, see if those companies have any remote openings. Sorry trying to be constructive as they destroy your car, mind, and your finances for some C-Suite cock munchers pride.
Get a new job.
You won’t win the fight. You were hired with WFH pay and they got you back in office without you renegotiating. At best you would have to take it to lawyer with a “they changed the circumstances on me” and he might get you some severance, but that’s about it.
New job. It’s time.
Yes, I have experienced the same. Hired as a remote employee, assured that wouldn’t change, and was given an in office mandate for part of the week with little warning. My commute is not that far in miles but living in a large city it’s over an hour each way.
I basically took it up the chain. Wrote a very professional letter requesting a partial waiver, citing the reasons this was problematic for me *personally* instead of focusing on why it was a bullshit policy (it is). Manager supported me but wasn’t his call. Had to go higher. Ultimately they allowed me to go in 2 days a week. They were willing to work with me so I stuck around. If that changes then I’ll reassess (and probably leave).
Since you ultimately complied despite the toll it’s taking on you, I think that goes in your favor. You didn’t complain you got with the program. I would try communicating that up the chain. I’m not saying this is guaranteed to work, but it’s worth a shot.
If they don’t work with you then it’s probably time to start looking. Of course, you could always just stop going in all together. Still do your work just do it from home and call their bluff.
It’s a shit situation and is not very people centric. I hope it works out for you.
That is messed up! So you were not originally near your work location because you were hired remote, right? So it’s not like the office moved, just that you are now forced to come into the office?
I honestly would find a better remote job with better pay and benefits, then once you got the offer all squared away tell your leqder and see maybe if you can haggle to be remote at your current job plus a raise and that you would stay. Since you like the company it might be nice to stay at a company you can trust. Possibly if you get other offers the company would allow you to work remotely.
Bring in a sleeping bag and sleep in the office until they talk to you about it. Then tell them if you can’t work from home, you’re going to have to home from work.
Can’t work from home? Never again answer an email or text or phone call from work again. Since you can no longer work from home.
You’re not being forced. They’re not pointing a gun at you.
They’ve made a decision, but you have choice.
Change job or accept new terms.
The key to ADA cases is keeping the conversation going.
You can tell them those accomodations don’t work for you, suggest other accomodations, they ONLY thing they can really legally say to deny you reasonable accomodations is it would be an undue burden to accomodate you.
Thing is, they are sneaky AF when they pull this. Make them EXPLAIN how you continuing to work from home is an undue burden when you have done so for years.
Keep a paper trail, keep the conversation going, and get in touch with a lawyer cause you will need one.
I did that commute for 6.5 years (UK)
5 days a week plus 1 Saturday a month.
Those 40k miles add up fast. I had 1 car failure, 2 crashes and my last car was sold with 270k on the clock.
A big financial strain and a big chunk of your life (3-4 hours per day).
Tell them it’s not working for you, and they must accommodate your particular requirements. Can you bill for travelling time?
If you are not happy with the outcome, just move jobs.
Either change jobs or renegotiate your wage. The wage you agreed to was factored to include the wfh benefit. Now that wfh has been removed your wage needs to increase to compensate for that lost benefit.
dude that’s 6 hours commute per day. so they are wasting 6 hours of your precious lifetime per day and not paying you for it?
Laughs in blue collar
A good friend of mine was WFH PRIOR to Covid. He applied for the position, got it, and took the pay cut.
Then his company merged with another, they moved buildings to farther than where he was working prior to going WFH, and then told RTO with 1 WFH day a month. They didn’t increase his pay at all.
You are never forced to do anything. Find a new job. That much travel per day will mess you up quickly.