Category Archives: Working from home

Home working, equipment and health and safety

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UCU national website has guidance on working from home and teaching online. The university advice on homeworking during the pandemic says “Working from home expenses, such as internet provision … will not be covered by the University.” UCU branch officers advise you contact your line manager or head of school or service if you need any equipment to work from home. The IT team is sending some IT equipment out by courier, according to the priorities set by heads of school or service. The university won’t give general approval for everyone to buy what they need and claim it back, so we are advising members that if you feel you need some equipment, you should get prior agreement from your line manager or head of school or service that the cost will be reimbursed, before you buy it, so you don’t risk being out of pocket. The home working arrangements are still being seen as “temporary”, which is why the university is saying not to complete the usual display screen equipment workstation assessment, but clearly we all need a decent set-up to work in which isn’t going to cause us health problems. Here’s the advice from the university’s Wellbeing, Health … continue reading

How much work can you do at home?

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University guidance about what can be achieved working from home has improved following trade union interventions but UCU reps are still concerned about how the current wording could be and is being interpreted by some line managers and heads of schools or services. Senior HR managers have agreed with union reps that many staff will not be expected to perform their full normal duties while working from home. Some may be able to, but many staff will not be able to commit to their full hours or complete all their normal duties because they have childcare, caring or other responsibilities and/or may be finding the pandemic and lockdown personally difficult to cope with. We understand from our discussions that people in those circumstances are not expected to do the same amount of work differently but that they will do what work they can. The university seems to be having some difficulty committing those expressed views into written advice for staff and managers. If you are feeling pressured to do more work than your circumstances allow and your line manager or head of school or service isn’t listening to you, contact ucu@leeds.ac.uk, or speak to the local HR manager first if … continue reading