Fixing work equipment at home

davo2001

Howdy,

Working from home like a lot of people currently since the lock down, having issues with my personal laptop that i now have to use for work.

The fix will take around 2-3 hours which will make me unable to do my job and work are saying i need to do it on my own time, not during work hours.

They have not nor never offered or provided any equipment for me to work from home since the lock down began, i'm using all my own hardware.

If it wasn't for work i'd just let the issues with the laptop slide and TBH i'm thinking why should i give up 2-3 hours of my own time in the evening to essentially fix a work issue?

Am i being unreasonable?

1hnr79jr65

why are you supplying your work place with hardware to do your job. That is their responsibility?

It seems you have enabled their behavior by the hardware not being theirs so they do not see it as their problem to solve.

Are you getting an allowance to use your own hardware, like a sales rep may get mileage for using their own car ?

Atlantic Dawn

If it was me I'd tell them my laptop is broke and they need to supply me with a laptop, their attitude is apauling.

beauf

Tell them your internet is down. Then take all the time you need.

History Queen

Sour Lemonz wrote: »

why are you supplying your work place with hardware to do your job. That is their responsibility?

It seems you have enabled their behavior by the hardware not being theirs so they do not see it as their problem to solve.

Are you getting an allowance to use your own hardware, like a sales rep may get mileage for using their own car ?

I think there are probably lots of people in this position, particularly in jobs/sectors that don't traditionally work from home. I'm a teacher for example, I have no work supplied device, I use my laptop. Not an issue normally as I would use the desktop in my classroom and not need a school provided device.

Jim2007

davo2001 wrote: »

Howdy,

Working from home like a lot of people currently since the lock down, having issues with my personal laptop that i now have to use for work.

The fix will take around 2-3 hours which will make me unable to do my job and work are saying i need to do it on my own time, not during work hours.

They have not nor never offered or provided any equipment for me to work from home since the lock down began, i'm using all my own hardware.

If it wasn't for work i'd just let the issues with the laptop slide and TBH i'm thinking why should i give up 2-3 hours of my own time in the evening to essentially fix a work issue?

Am i being unreasonable?

What did your manager say when you discussed it with them?

davo2001

Jim2007 wrote: »

What did your manager say when you discussed it with them?

Exactly what I said in my original OP?! I'm expected to do it on my own time.

Hence the question.

1hnr79jr65

davo2001 wrote: »

Exactly what I said in my original OP?! I'm expected to do it on my own time.

Hence the question.

Then your response should be in email some to the effect of "im sorry but i no longer have functioning equipment to carry out my duties. I request the company provide me with equipment to carry out my duties as my own personal device is no longer available to use" from your phone email.

I would also question what the ramifications are for you of using a personal laptop/computer where company data security is concerned, if they try make you liable say if your house was broken into and laptop stolen, data may be comprosmised.

Even more reason they should supply equipment with appropriate data security software.

1hnr79jr65

History Queen wrote: »

I think there are probably lots of people in this position, particularly in jobs/sectors that don't traditionally work from home. I'm a teacher for example, I have no work supplied device, I use my laptop. Not an issue normally as I would use the desktop in my classroom and not need a school provided device.

I would also question what the ramifications are for you of using a personal laptop/computer where company data security is concerned, if they try make you liable say if your house was broken into and laptop stolen, data may be comprosmised.

Even more reason they should supply equipment with appropriate data security software.

This is super important where children and school data is concerned. !

History Queen

Sour Lemonz wrote: »

I would also question what the ramifications are for you of using a personal laptop/computer where company data security is concerned, if they try make you liable say if your house was broken into and laptop stolen, data may be comprosmised.

Even more reason they should supply equipment with appropriate data security software.

This is super important where children and school data is concerned. !

Agreed. And is one of many concerns teachers have. However in these unprecedented circumstances we have mostly (although not all by all accounts) got on with things as best we can. Huge amounts of vitriol were levelled at those of us who raised concerns about GDPR/child protection issues etc and we were accused of being work shy and obstructionist. No clear guidelines were issued by the department eitherso schools have mostly dealt with it by putting in local policies, which then differ from school to school and add to the "well if school x can do it, why can't ye?"

Our school stores all data online so is relatively safe, even so, u can't help but worry. Saying that if the only alternative was to down tools and not teach since schools closed I'd prefer to try proceed as safely as possible with our own devices.

Jim2007

davo2001 wrote: »

Exactly what I said in my original OP?! I'm expected to do it on my own time.

Hence the question.

Well if your manager actually said that, then it is time for a serious malfunction requiring replacement equipment at the company's expense.

Fr Tod Umptious

Sour Lemonz wrote: »

I would also question what the ramifications are for you of using a personal laptop/computer where company data security is concerned, if they try make you liable say if your house was broken into and laptop stolen, data may be comprosmised.

Even more reason they should supply equipment with appropriate data security software.

This is super important where children and school data is concerned. !

This is exactly why a lot of companies could not let people work from home straight away when this all started even though in theory people could work from home.

Many companies just did not have the capacity in their IT systems (which includes security) to have everyone working from home at the same time.

In hindsight the OP should have requested company equipment before they started working from home.

salonfire

davo2001 wrote: »

Howdy,

Working from home like a lot of people currently since the lock down, having issues with my personal laptop that i now have to use for work.

The fix will take around 2-3 hours which will make me unable to do my job and work are saying i need to do it on my own time, not during work hours.

They have not nor never offered or provided any equipment for me to work from home since the lock down began, i'm using all my own hardware.

If it wasn't for work i'd just let the issues with the laptop slide and TBH i'm thinking why should i give up 2-3 hours of my own time in the evening to essentially fix a work issue?

Am i being unreasonable?

Since you are unable to work from home, I take it you are ok for the employer to put you on the €350 per week scheme?

Some of the posters in this thread are very vocal in having the Employers be flexible towards the employee.

When the shoe is on the other foot, the employee is not to be one bit flexible for their employer.

Strumms

salonfire wrote: »

Since you are unable to work from home, I take it you are ok for the employer to put you on the €350 per week scheme?

Some of the posters in this thread are very vocal in having the Employers be flexible towards the employee.

When the shoe is on the other foot, the employee is not to be one bit flexible for their employer.

People aren’t vocal about the employer being flexible to the employee per say, they are being vocal about the employer if wishing the employee to work from home, furnishes them with the equipment to do just that ie. a company laptop.

salonfire

Strumms wrote: »

People aren’t vocal about the employer being flexible to the employee per say, they are being vocal about the employer if wishing the employee to work from home, furnishes them with the equipment to do just that ie. a company laptop.

The employer does enable work from home by providing remote access software like Citrix.

What else should the employer do? Provide them with an alarm clock for the morning? Come round and build on an extension to the house for an office?

Putting people on the pandemic payment would soften a lot of coughs and 'help' people to find some flexibility.

Wanderer19

salonfire wrote: »

The employer does enable work from home by providing remote access software like Citrix.

What else should the employer do? Provide them with an alarm clock for the morning? Come round and build on an extension to the house for an office?

Putting people on the pandemic payment would soften a lot of coughs and 'help' people to find some flexibility.

Not all employers are set up for remote working, (mine isn't) and even if they did, and the employee doesn't have a laptop/PC what are they supposed to work on?

It's not unreasonable to request equipment to work on.

GDPR has also went out of the window as people would have no where secure to store information.

salonfire

Wanderer19 wrote: »

Not all employers are set up for remote working, (mine isn't) and even if they did, and the employee doesn't have a laptop/PC what are they supposed to work on?

It's not unreasonable to request equipment to work on.

GDPR has also went out of the window as people would have no where secure to store information.

But what if the employer provides a laptop but the cable does not reach the nearest socket?

Whatever is the employee to do then? After all we can't have the employee showing any flexibility when it comes to work.

ozmo

Just curious if you can share - what pc fix procedure requires you to sit in front of the pc for 2-3 hours? An update, install, hd encryption, virus scan etc. is usually just kicked off and left running overnight....

As the others have said - I would be carefully about storing sensitive information on it - it could be not good for you, but your company especially, if laptop is stolen or improperly recycled /handed down etc with someones personal data on it.

Personally - I would have no problem doing an hour or two extra work at night though - especially as a once off - depends on what the job means to you.

Wanderer19

salonfire wrote: »

But what if the employer provides a laptop but the cable does not reach the nearest socket?

Whatever is the employee to do then? After all we can't have the employee showing any flexibility when it comes to work.

They can use an extension lead - you're grasping at straws trying to create a reasonable argument as to why the employee should use his own equipment and fix issues, in his own time, to suit his employer. There's a lot more valid reasons for the employer to provide the equipment than there is to not provide it.

Strumms

salonfire wrote: »

The employer does enable work from home by providing remote access software like Citrix.

What else should the employer do? Provide them with an alarm clock for the morning? Come round and build on an extension to the house for an office?

Putting people on the pandemic payment would soften a lot of coughs and 'help' people to find some flexibility.

An alarm clock ? Why ? Don’t be ridiculous ffs, waking up is not something related to your employment, you do it everyday, well you should and doesn’t happen on company time .

The company should provide the employee while they are working for them from home with the necessary tools and equipment to do their work, simple.

AndrewJRenko

History Queen wrote: »

Agreed. And is one of many concerns teachers have. However in these unprecedented circumstances we have mostly (although not all by all accounts) got on with things as best we can. Huge amounts of vitriol were levelled at those of us who raised concerns about GDPR/child protection issues etc and we were accused of being work shy and obstructionist. No clear guidelines were issued by the department eitherso schools have mostly dealt with it by putting in local policies, which then differ from school to school and add to the "well if school x can do it, why can't ye?"

Our school stores all data online so is relatively safe, even so, u can't help but worry. Saying that if the only alternative was to down tools and not teach since schools closed I'd prefer to try proceed as safely as possible with our own devices.

Most remote access from personal devices is done using Citrix or other tools. These provide a window into a central system. If configured properly, the user cannot save any data on the local device, and can't cut/paste anything locally.

beauf

You can just take a photo of the screen. But thats true of work also.

History Queen

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Most remote access from personal devices is done using Citrix or other tools. These provide a window into a central system. If configured properly, the user cannot save any data on the local device, and can't cut/paste anything locally.

Sorry I'm clueless. If we were using Citrix or similar I assume we'd know as we would have had to install it or log in to it at some point?

radiotrickster

History Queen wrote: »

I have no work supplied device, I use my laptop. Not an issue normally as I would use the desktop in my classroom and not need a school provided device.

Is there no way for you to get the desktop computer home?

Likewise with the OP, could you not get whatever you used to work on sent home?

The couple of people I know working from home just took their work desktop computers and laptops with them on their last day before lockdown.

_Brian

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

If it was me I'd tell them my laptop is broke and they need to supply me with a laptop, their attitude is apauling.

This is good advice.

thomas anderson.

I work end user support and its my responsibility that all of my 400 users have assigned IT assets to perform their functions.

No personal assets are to be used as they represent a pretty severe security risk.

Demand that they provide you a laptop

AndrewJRenko

History Queen wrote: »

Sorry I'm clueless. If we were using Citrix or similar I assume we'd know as we would have had to install it or log in to it at some point?

Yes, you would have had to install it. And you would have to click it to open it up each time you login.

History Queen

radiotrickster wrote: »

Is there no way for you to get the desktop computer home?

Likewise with the OP, could you not get whatever you used to work on sent home?

The couple of people I know working from home just took their work desktop computers and laptops with them on their last day before lockdown.

Our desktops are built in to a type of metal cabinet that is bolted to the floor can be folded up and locked in the evening. Since last Monday 18th we are allowed access to school building to use resources if necessary but must pre book appointments and there is a limit as to hiw many of us can be on site together. Not entirely feasible really.

Anyway at this stage of school year there isn't going to be an alternative. We are in the last week of term (2nd level)

History Queen

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Yes, you would have had to install it. And you would have to click it to open it up each time you login.

Oh ok. We definitely don't have that or anything like it.