Medical assesment for job - mental illness

LegacyUser

I have recently been offered a job subject to reference checks and medical evaluation. I am not worried about the reference checks but I am worried about the medical. I recently have come to the realisation I have some depression issues and possibly mania too. The problem is I have gone to be evaluated for such and now have medical reports detailing some issues. This is still ongoing. Primarily I am concerned about the fact I have been using hash to level my mood for a while and this is in my records.
Whether a good idea or not I decided not to put these details on the medical questionnaire. The main reason was I didn't want further questions nor do I think it is any of their concern. It is an independent company that do the medical so I am unsure if they request the records from my GP or how extensive the reports they can get are. Does anybody know how extensive their searches are? I am aware I have probably done the wrong thing but it is where I am at now. I have been fully capable of work with my condition in the past so expect to improve with the medical help I am getting now that I am facing it head on.

dudara

There is a high chance that they will ask for a urine sample to check for drugs. When you did last use hash?

LegacyUser

I'm afraid to tell you I have been in pretty much the same situation before. I went for an interview for a job a few years ago, got on great, they were absolutely delighted with me and offered me the job. I went for a medical which they assured me was merely a formality so thought nothing of it, completely forgetting that I had been on antidepressants for a while in the recent past due to certain personal circumstances. Obviously this would have showed up in my urine sample. Suddenly the job offer was snatched away from me, they didn't even have the decency to tell me that that was the reason but obviously it was, just told me that my job had been given to someone else and don't call again.

To make matters worse I couldn't even do anything about it. My family were all raging that this company had offered me a job and then just changed their minds "for no reason" and took it away from me again, they wanted me to go further about it obviously and get justice but I didn't want anyone to know that I had been on antidepressants for a period so couldn't tell them the reason or explain why I was just letting it lie. To this day they don't understand why I didn't create more of a fuss because I am the kind of person who stands up for my rights.

It's not fair but that's the way it is. Hope it works out better for you but honestly I wouldn't hold my breath. Good luck anyway.

ash xxx

They are legally entitled to request reports from your doctors to assess your suitability for the position.

Also, it is important to consider that if you lie in your pre employment health questionnaire/ assessment and you later need substantial time off work due to this illness, they can then request doctors reports detailing your illness. If they find out your illness pre dates your employment with them and you didnt declare this, they are legally entitled to end your employment with them.

sam34

Knowhowitfeels wrote: »

I'm afraid to tell you I have been in pretty much the same situation before. I went for an interview for a job a few years ago, got on great, they were absolutely delighted with me and offered me the job. I went for a medical which they assured me was merely a formality so thought nothing of it, completely forgetting that I had been on antidepressants for a while in the recent past due to certain personal circumstances. Obviously this would have showed up in my urine sample. Suddenly the job offer was snatched away from me, they didn't even have the decency to tell me that that was the reason but obviously it was, just told me that my job had been given to someone else and don't call again.

To make matters worse I couldn't even do anything about it. My family were all raging that this company had offered me a job and then just changed their minds "for no reason" and took it away from me again, they wanted me to go further about it obviously and get justice but I didn't want anyone to know that I had been on antidepressants for a period so couldn't tell them the reason or explain why I was just letting it lie. To this day they don't understand why I didn't create more of a fuss because I am the kind of person who stands up for my rights.

It's not fair but that's the way it is. Hope it works out better for you but honestly I wouldn't hold my breath. Good luck anyway.

antidepressants dont show up in a urine sample

benzodiazepines, such as valium or ativan or xanax, would show up, but they are not antidepressants

LegacyUser

It is only a questionnaire unlikely to be called in for the actual medical seems to be the practice. So as nothing will flag a query I reckon I would be OK. I am aware that they can terminate my employment if it later becomes an issue.

I haven't used anything in over a month and my doctor will not give them my records unless I specifically say so.

The question really boils down to what records they can obtain with the signature they have and how likely it is they query everything.