I've been in a very similar boat, and it fucking sucks.

When I first started my current job, it was supposed to be 50% remote, 50% in person. I was very much struggling with it, but made it about 6 months before the company shut down the office for renovations.

It was shut down for a year and a half, and we were expected to be in person 2 days a month for the one section of the building that was still open.

I was absolutely thriving for that year and a half. But it had its limit and eventually the renovations finished up. They called everyone back to the office. Worse, some employees weren't meeting the quota so they opted to punish everybody by moving to a 4 day in person, 1 day remote setup.

It was absolute hell for me because of my OCD. I just can't pay the mental cost of being outside nearly every day, even before the coercive nature of work.

So I tried getting a reasonable accommodation through HR and those bastards fought me at every step. It took them 3 months of lying through their teeth to finally give me a remote working accommodation.

So for the first time in too long of a time I feel like I'm actually me again. Fuck the corporations.

Best of luck! Sorry you were put in this situation. A 4 hour commute twice a week is a whole extra shift. Like you're working 6 days a week, and one is unpaid(presumably). I would be passed my limit as well.

Have you gone to your boss and explained you require the at-home schedule for medical reasons? Not sure of your country but atleast in the U.S., I don't think you have to disclose what exactly if that makes you uncomfortable.

If you've got a doctor, or better whoever you get your meds from if you use any, they may be willing to write a note for HR (or your boss depending on size of company, I guess) saying you've got a need for the reasonable accommodation of maximum 1 day per week in office. The company may still say no, but atleast it gives you the best chance of getting what you need.

Before moving on to what you outlined above, of course.

I feel this. I've been full remote for the past four years, and all of a sudden my company's decided that it's no bueno. It's hella stressful.

Some days I feel like there's just no room in society for people like me. Everything was fine, then someone decided "fuck you and the way you work" and now my entire life is being upended. I hate society.

Yeah, I've been full time WFH for over five years and next month they're switching to 3day/week hybrid mandatory for every employee.

Unionized public service job so no exceptions will be made and no severance pay available. Plus I've been living on a sailboat far away from this job for years now.

I could probably go the accommodation route and get my doctor to confirm every month or two that I require WFH or else I'll burn out again but screw that.

Instead I'm going independent and I'll be taking up contracts under my own business. I'll make more money with less working hours this way as my current job pays slightly below market because of how stable it's supposed to be. (And previously because we were the only employer of the type offering full time wfh 🤡)

Sounds like you know your worth. That is absolutely shitty of them to increase your in-office days in the final moments of hiring. It is an asshole move, regardless of the reason. Maybe just someone in the process promised something they weren't authorized too, but it's still a choice not to honor that promise.

I wish you luck in finding something better. This is the worst time to look for jobs since 2008

We have one office day per week. But we're effectively expected to be there once a month. I consider one lost day per month at some 10-15 kEUR below market rate an acceptable tradeoff, as long as the project isn't too high stress. If they ask for more presence and/or job gets too stressful it's time to move on.