Job Interview - When to mention Epilepsy?

XxMCRxBabyxX

I was diagnosed with Epilepsy over the summer and so far, job-wise, it has been fine as my current employers all know about it and I was working for them before I was diagnosed. So far it has been manageable enough and nothing has happened during working hours.

I was offered a job interview this morning and it has occured to me that I'll have to mention to the employer at some stage that I have Epilepsy. I'm just wondering when I should do this? Do I run the risk of not getting the job if I mention it in the interview, or losing the job for not mentioning it before an offer?

The job appears to be casual event work - cashier, bar, waitress, etc. and I am currently doing the same work in another job with no problems so far. I always have emergency medication on me as well.

MODS: I am planning on posting this in both the Work forum and LTI forum to get POVs from both sides. If you would prefer to merge them then that is fine with me.

Thanks,
MCR

ash23

As far as I know you don't have to disclose it to your employers at all.

Personally (I have MS) I wouldn't mention it in a job interview or even in the probationary period. Once I was permanent I'd tell them then. I was diagnosed while in my current (permanent) position so it's not something I've had to do, but I think that's how I'd do it.

Pumpkinseeds

To be honest I wouldn't mention it, at least not until you've been there a while and have sussed out how they feel about it. I've had epilepsy for almost 30 years and I learned pretty quick not to mention it at interviews.

Its your decision but with a lot of the medications available these days it can be well controled.

XxMCRxBabyxX

Thanks all. I had made the decision not to mention it but I was given an application form which included a section on health so the decision was made for me. Nothing was said in the interview itself though

LegacyUser

I wouldn't mention it at all, especially if, like me, you had an aura/warning before an attack. There is an insane amount of incredible ignorance and fear about epilepsy from the most surprising places.

I had epilepsy for most of my life up to the age of 22. I am now 17 years free from seizures thanks to having brain surgery by Jack Phillips in Beaumont Hospital in 1996. Before I had that surgery, and the straw which broke my back and forced me into it, was when I lost my job directly because I had an attack while working in a pub and all the glasses smashed. I just wanted to hide from the world then.

I would, however, choose work where you would not be under stress or in a position where an attack could happen. I remember I used to always think that because of the aura I had time to go to the bathroom where nobody could see me to have the attack. It obviously didn't work out like that that one time and it hurt my self-esteem hugely.

Best of luck.

Achtung Maybe

No need to mention it at all, I have worked in recruitment for a decade and have an inoperable brain tumour and epiliepsy so your issue is close to my heart. Rest assured that you have no need whatsoever to disclose information re epilepsy as long as it is not a role that entails driving. Irrespective best of luck wit everything hope all goes well