Bosses won't let me work.

Byline: By Dan Thomson 

A civilservant with 28 years' experience last night threatened to sue her employers after being told she could not work from home.

Jo Wilson, of Whickham View, Scotswood, Newcastle, has worked for the Department of Work and Pensions since she was 19 and was described in her most recent appraisal as "a committed and determined" worker who "led by example".

But when the 46-year-old applied to work from

home because of a severe anxiety disorder, she was told her job was not suitable for remote working.

She claims this goes against a health assessment the DWP itself commissioned, which confirmed she was not able to travel to work but said she was medically fit to do her job from home.

Last night Miss Wilson, who has been on disability leave since September, accused the Government of "failing to practise what it preached" after her employers refused her request, even though Work Wise Week starts next Wednesday.

The Government-backed initiative is asking employers to encourage their staff to try home, flexible, mobile and remote working and culminates in National Work from Home Day on May 18.

Jo last night attacked the scheme as being "nothing but spin" and claimed she had been told her disability pay would be cut off at the end of the month if she did not take a new part-time role working with the public.

She claimed this is impossible because of the severity of her social phobia, which has affected her for the last 15 years and prevents her from leaving the house unaccompanied.

She said: "I've worked for the DWP for 28 years and have never had any problems. I'm good at my job and I want to work. I've never been on benefits in my life.

"I first applied to work from home in August 2005, but did not receive an answer until November 2006, despite 15 letters to my employers.

"When they eventually got back to me, they told me my job was not suitable for home working."

She added: "This was despite a report by an occupational health therapist confirming I had an underlying psychological condition with symptoms of panic and anxiety when I leave the house unaccompanied.

"I haven't been out on my own in six years and couldn't even consider using public transport.

"I have good days and bad, but even when I worked at the Jobcentre Plus office across the road from my house, I often had to get colleagues to come and get me if I had an attack.

"That office has now closed, so I face a longer journey if I returned to work."

She added: "I could do any job from home that I do at work if they put the equipment in.

"Instead they have offered me the one job I cannot do ( working with the public. It's a joke."

Since her request to work from home was refused, Miss Wilson has filed two grievances against her employers and is planning to take them to an employment tribunal.

The DWP is understood to have offered her a new job as a fortnightly review officer starting at three hours a week as she is gradually re-introduced to work.

They have also suggested a "travel buddy" to accompany her to and from work and have offered to pay her previous full-time wage for a transitional period if she returns on May 28.

A DWP spokeswoman last night said: "We cannot comment on the specifics of this case.

"Jobcentre Plus is sympathetic to requests from its employees to work at home and will always consider such requests.

"However, as Jobcentre Plus is a customer facing organisation, it is not always possible to grant people the option of working from home."