What Can I Do If My Civil Service Homeworking Request Has Been Rejected?
Rejected Homeworking Requests and Reasonable Adjustments for Disabled Staff
Hello,
My application to work from home was rejected and my appeal has also been unsuccessful.
The reasons given were that I would not be able to collaborate properly, learn from colleagues or support other members of the team. However, I have worked successfully with people online for several years and no evidence has been provided to show that my performance or collaboration has suffered.
I also have a health condition that affects my ability to work from the office, but the decision does not appear to address that condition or explain whether my request was considered as a reasonable adjustment.
I feel as though the decision was made using generic statements rather than my actual circumstances.
What should I do next, and how can I challenge the decision properly?
Quick Answer
A rejected flexible-working request does not remove the separate duty to consider reasonable adjustments for a disability or long-term health condition. Ask the department to confirm whether it considered the disability-related disadvantage, the proposed adjustment and any workable alternatives on their individual facts.
Read our Civil Service reasonable adjustments at work guide for help describing the barrier, proposing an adjustment and responding when a request is delayed or refused.
Need help with your own situation? Visit Get Tailored Advice or browse more questions in Advice.
How I Would Challenge a Rejected Homeworking Adjustment Request
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Continue reading to see how I would separate the flexible-working decision from the reasonable-adjustment issue, strengthen the evidence and ask for a fresh individual assessment.
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