Giveth and taketh away

A couple of weeks ago, I got an email about a new Flexible Work plan. My long sought after dream of working from home was in sight. I emailed my wife (who already works from home one day a week) the good news and we both started picturing how to coordinate schedules, what Oliver's day care schedule would be like, and where we would set up our home office. With an optimismitic glow, I went to see my manager to find out when Nirvana could begin. After a short conversation, Nirvana was destroyed. My manager's manager doesn't like Flexible Work. She doesn't think that any of our IT jobs could be done remotely. Overseas, yes. From home, no. I seriously considered filing a Flexible Work plan anyway, just so that I'd have something to fight about. But while I believe in the principle, I also need to help feed my family.

Yesterday, the news spread that Flexible Work would be possible - for those who wanted to commit career suicide. But when I look at the FAQ on it, it doesn't say that deciding to utilize Flexible Work was grounds for limiting career advancement. In fact it says the opposite - that advancement is based on merit, not attendance. So at this point I'm in a quandary. Do I opt for career suicide or work how/where I don't want to because they don't like the idea of Flexible Work? It doesn't seem like a choice really but it should be. On the other hand, if I'm not married to working here, who cares about career advancement?

The point is moot anyway since I don't have a machine capable of allowing me to work from home which they'll need to provide as a disaster recovery mechanism. So when the point becomes un-mooted I'll revisit the issue.