Being forced to move back to dublin to work from the office 4 out of 5 days.

Just quit, if you are important enough you will be accommodated, if you aren't then you never were

Have you tried to discuss it with your manager and see if you can keep the same arrangement? It's a nuclear option, but if they do refuse you could point out that their current policy is discrimination. If that falls on deaf ears you could then consider taking a case against them.

How is it discrimination?

What did they say when you discussed it? Outright refusal or what?

There's no discrimination. Where is your "home" written in your contract?

edit: meant "home office " place of employment.

If people with kids are getting favourable treatment over those that don’t I guess?

Find another job, either local or one that might accommodate you.

Under the family status ground. You can't treat people differently because of their family status. If they are willing to let someone work from home because they have kids and then they can't refuse it for people who don't have kids.

Yes. Family status is one of the nine grounds for discrimination. You can not be treated differently because of your family status. Single people and people with no children are covered by that as well.

It isn't. Its an example of offering family friendly policies to those that might be under particular pressure with dependents and need a little more flexibility.

Choosing to leave the City during the pandemic on a finger-crossed basis, that compulsory office working may never return, is just an example of a gamble that didn't pay off.

Most contracts, certainly any I've ever had, contain a clause to the effect that 'the employee shall live within a reasonable distance of their assigned place of work, such that they may render regular and efficient service'.

This is standard stuff to protect the employer, in the event of location moves, change management issues etc.

The reality is, it is not discrimination, its just a policy that inconveniences the OP.

On the bright side, its a sellers market, go get a role which contracts working from home and be happy.

It is. But the best thing the OP should do is contact a employment solicitor and get proper legal advice if he feels it is worth pursuing.

There may be a good reason. There may not be a good reason. They don't have to give a reason.

The proposed legislation to support a greater degree of working from home in the workforce, has not become law yet.

>the employee shall live within a reasonable distance of their assigned place of work

Never seen the likes of this in a contract.

I don’t know the legal vagaries but surely something like this is discrimination in the other direction?

OP it depends on how the remote work policy is worded. If it states in black and white that all workers must be on site 4 days a week then you havent much wiggle room there and if so, maybe look around for other wfh jobs. There are plenty of them out there, despite this bizzare notion from so many people that we should all be in an open plan office monday to friday 9-5 and that thats the only efficient model of a workplace. Lots of companies have learnt from Covid and have allowed remote and flexible working options. The ones that rigidly adhere to the "you must be on site" mindset are losing employees hand over fist.

However, if its the case where certain people can wfh and others cant, typically women with kids, then yeah thats out of order particularly if the work can be done sufficiently from home. You can say to your manager would it be possible to keep your current arrangement as the commute would be quite long. Thats not your employers problem of course but there is no harm in presenting this argument. It galls me when women with kids act all superior and entitled when it comes to the hierarchy of who should and who shouldnt work from home. If a job can be done remotely then anyone can do it- single, kids, no kids, old young etc. Flexible work options are not exclusive to families. Again, if you get nowhere then i advise looking for a more tolerant employer. Good luck.

We are back four days per week in the office.

Lost team members during the process, but they've been replaced.

So do you have a contract that says you are WFH permanently? Or is it WFH until it isn't?

I'd be worried if my company told me I can WFH permanently as I'd be seriously questioning if I'm a valued employee, my chances of ever being promoted, and the likelihood of me being first in line if redundancies were being considered.

This is what stood out to me as well. We are lucky to have 4 days a week from home and by god I make sure I'm in that office 1 day a week

You were give a gift horse with the 1 day a week and ignored it.

Hi OP

I think you might be fairly goosed. Unless the majority/all the employees within your company do no comply with the new rules, then you'll need to comply.

You've a few options though, you could see if you can get your employer to agree with 2 days perhaps. In you're post you said 3 hours transport I'm assuming you mean not driving and taking public transport. Sure you could drive to the M50 and use public transport from there?

Many of the multinationals had guys move home (Home being in another country) and are struggling to get them back. There is also a shortage of half decent workers at the moment that's exasperating the problem. (There's plenty of idiots)

Out of interest, can I ask why you moved to the country, were you renting, are you from the country and what's your age bracket? 20-30, 30-40 etc