As stated by other monks above, if you are at $work and $work specifies a particular version, you need to use that version. If you have an objection, you need to go through the proper channels for your $work, which will probably require you give them documentation of why you need to be an exception, or why they need to consider an addition to or change of version being used by $work. That said, in addition to the above comments regarding support, the only other reasons I can see off-hand would be if there are modules or software that require a particular version, or that have been through specific certification/validation/testing processes.

Hope that helps.