UK lawyers and other law firm employees claim that they are being forced into their firms unecessarily during the UK lockdown.

According to a report in the Law Gazette staff at firms in different parts of the country have reported confidentially that they fear for their safety because their law firm bosses do not trust them to work remotely.

The UK lockdown rules require people to work from home if possible and although they do not explicitly prevent staff from coming into the office but specify that people should leave home for work only ‘where it is unreasonable’ for them to do the job from home.

The Gazette reported that one lawyer said their firm had implemented ‘minimal’ safety measures, telling workers that home working was impossible because phones could not be connected. Colleagues who had Covid scares were told to keep quiet and those with negative tests ordered straight back into the office despite government advice to keep isolating.

Another lawyer said her firm had been unhappy with productivity and billing levels during the lockdown last spring and had banned home working this time. Staff who are medically vulnerable and struggling with mental health issues have been ordered in, with the threat of losing their jobs if they refuse.