Health checks after a new job offer

[Cherry1]

Hello all,

Could you please let me know what the law says about health checks and how they can affect a new job offer?

A colleague of mine has been off sick for several months and they would like to find a new job as they believe the high levels of stress and excessive working hours contributed to their current health issues. They are hoping to recover within the next month or so but they are not sure whether a new employer would be happy to hire them if they realised my colleague has been off sick.

I noticed that some companies as part of the recruitment process ask the referee how long in the last 12 months the prospective employee has been off sick. In addition, the prospective employee has an appointment with Occupational Health to identify what is their health situation and whether they can do the job.

Please note that my colleague still has their current job but the company has not been supportive and it seems the employer would like to terminate their contract. This is based on some comments made by HR. However, the company has not been yet clear about what is their position as they must follow an internal procedure and cannot fire them yet.

My colleague never had issues with their managers or other colleagues, and their performance appraisals always have been exceptional. They have been working for this company for 3 years. Thus, I am surprised how the employer is managing their situation. As you can imagine, they cannot lose their job until they find another permanent/reliable source of income but I am not sure whether the fact they have been ill for several months can affect their chances.

Many thanks.

 

[Newchodge]

Every employer will want to know a candidate's sickness absence history. Few employers would take someone on with a poor sickness absence history.

 

[WaveJumper]

I know their is no easy answer to this but perhaps your colleague in the short term should really focus their efforts on getting back to full health. Take a real good look at what has bought this on, what is actually causing the stress, lake of training, taking on to many projects, one of the hardest lessons I learnt when working in an organisation is to say NO when they pile to much work on you especially if being given unrealistic deadlines which then leads you to working excessive hours (normally unpaid )

Your colleague really needs to analyse the issues and if need be take the issues to her line manager or HR if they feel they are being put upon unduly. What they don't want to do is jump from the frying pan into the fire and if they did find another job suddenly find they are experiencing the same issues.

Not a good place for your colleague to be in right now, there's enough dome and gloom out there without facing the same in the work place but they need to get back on their feet, regain their strength and confidence and then be ready to start a fresh. I am sure they are happy to have colleagues who care about their wellbeing and I wish them all the very best.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

I would say take a step back and consider the effect that these shenanigans would have on a new employer
We dont all have a golden fund to finance these goings on and all too often we are seeing them a lot ,lot more than we did in the past ... Answers to that anybody ? !

My reply may not be the one you desired but you did ask the question on Europe's premier business forum . We are not trade unionist so our loyalties may be with an employer who follows the law !

 

[The Byre]

but I am not sure whether the fact they have been ill for several months can affect their chances.

Sick staff are a huge drain on the finances of any company and right now, your colleague's employer will be in the same financial straights as everybody else. Sick for several months is a huge no-no!

We do not go near anybody who even looks as if they might fall ill - smokers, the obese, or anything like that. We simply cannot afford the risk.

All work can involve long hours and stress. If that person cannot deal with things that are common to most workplaces, it might be time to consider whether he/she is suited to the world of full-time work. I wish I could give you a more sympathetic answer, but right now every employer is having to get ready for a severe recession and simply cannot afford to carry any dead wood - which is how they will view your colleague.