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Job offer & disability

  • 22-07-2008 7:59pm
    #1
    theboytaylor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 129 ✭✭


    Hi guys

    A long while back I applied for a position as a research postgrad.

    I interviewed, things looked good and eventually I was offered the position
    and just had to wait to go through the formal channels etc.
    This offer (through the formal channels) reached me today by mail.

    The issue is that in the interim time between the interview and today
    I've been hospitalized due to illness (and am now technically disabled:
    claiming disability allowance etc) so I will be unable to work for at least
    the next three months.

    I haven't yet informed my prospective employer of my situation.
    I am due to start by September or so, there hasn't been a hard rule
    on the start date other than that.

    My question is this: Would it be legal for the employer to refuse my
    request of a deferral for 2 or 3 months and withdraw the offer?

    Thanks guys


Comments

  • #2
    Euro_Kraut
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,957 ✭✭✭Euro_Kraut


    Employers are certainly bound not to discriminate against people with disabilities provided they can 'reasonable' allowence for them in the work place. The word 'reasonable' is open to interpretation, but it is taken for example to included a blind person being allowed to bring a guide god with them to work or providing some with specialized software if they have difficulties with Dyslexia.

    Whether it goes so far so as to allow some who is temporally incapacitated time off I don't know. However, I would be shocked in your situation if your employers were not obliging. If it is a University you will be working with I am sure they will accommodate you. The Public Sector will tend to be more progressive in this area.

    My advise: contact them as soon as possible and explain your situation clearly. Don't wait a until a week before you start. Also perhaps offer so sort of compromise? You might be able to do some preliminary reading while convalescing - if you reckon you will be up for it.

    Good luck with your recovery.


  • #3
    theboytaylor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 129 ✭✭theboytaylor


    Thanks Euro_Kraut,

    I was planning on contacting them ASAP

    and the compromise is definitely a good idea.


  • #4
    leeroybrown
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,563 ✭✭✭leeroybrown


    Normally I would expect a University to be reasonably flexible with regards to these positions. One thing to note is that, in contrast to Euro_Kraut's suggestion, there is a huge difference between the 'public sector' and a 'research postgrad' position. The funding for the position is likely to be based on a fixed block grant with defined start and end dates and the hiring will largely be at the discretion of the specific project and it's PI. If they have a slot-in replacement for you there is always the slight possibility that they will view three months as too much of a disruption to the project time line.

    If they did want to withdraw the offer on these grounds then they'd probably be in a strong position but it's most likely that they will be very accommodation.


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