Mental Illness and Civil Service Job Offer

MaxPayneXL

I have been offered a Civil Service role recently and has to fill a Health and Character Self Declaration Form. The following is mentioned in the form:

Before being accepted by the Public Appointments Service as suitable for appointment, candidates must satisfy certain criteria including suitability in respect of health and character.

I am under treatment for Psychosis. Would my job offer be rejected, if I reveal this? Or should I just be silent on this.

Please advise...

uck51js9zml2yt

MaxPayneXL wrote: »

I have been offered a Civil Service role recently and has to fill a Health and Character Self Declaration Form. The following is mentioned in the form:

Before being accepted by the Public Appointments Service as suitable for appointment, candidates must satisfy certain criteria including suitability in respect of health and character.

I am under treatment for Psychosis. Would my job offer be rejected, if I reveal this? Or should I just be silent on this.

Please advise...

Is it being managed and controlled by a medical practitioner.

Will it effect your ability to do the job.

MaxPayneXL

Melvin Warm Yardage wrote: »

Is it being managed and controlled by a medical practitioner.

Will it effect your ability to do the job.

Yes, I am under treatment (Out Patient) by mental heath consultant doctor in a hospital.

As per me it wont too much adversely affect my job.

The role is IT based. In case it would adversely affect my chance to join this role I wont disclose this info.

Any one has any experience dealing with this scenario?

uck51js9zml2yt

Worked in a dept which had 2 or 3 that I knew of who were bi polar. Very supportive of them.

If you can do the job it shouldn't be a problem.

MaxPayneXL

Would it be possible by law, for employer to reject my job opportunity, if I disclose my illness?

I am bit confused by the below clause:
Before being accepted by the Public Appointments Service as suitable for appointment, candidates must satisfy certain criteria including suitability in respect of health and character.

Would they be able to apply this health condition to refuse job offer?

TrixIrl

This would generally mean anything that would consistently stop you from carrying out your duties I.e. a bad back or COPD if you were a porter etc.

I would think that if your condition is being managed and doesn't adversely affect your attendance and ability to work the it shouldn't be held against you.

Would your doctor provide a letter to confirm same? You could send that in with your health declaration? If however your doctor feels you will have significant repeated and prolonged absence then perhaps it's better not to accept the position at this time.

I would always err on the side of honesty if possible.

Mrs OBumble

MaxPayneXL wrote: »

Would they be able to apply this health condition to refuse job offer?

If it's a disability, then only if it's not reasonably possible to modify the job to accommodate you.

eg if you wanted to be a railway worker or a guard or something else where you may have to handle flashing lights in an emergency, then there may be grounds.

In general, don't lie on the form.

If you lie, and they find out later they sack you - not for the issue, but because you lied.

Whereas if you tell the truth, they ain't allowed to discriminate, and you're covered if you need their help later on.

Strumms

TrixIrl wrote: »

Would your doctor provide a letter to confirm same? You could send that in with your health declaration? If however your doctor feels you will have significant repeated and prolonged absence then perhaps it's better not to accept the position at this time.

I would always err on the side of honesty if possible.

Yes, make an appointment with your own doctor they will be able to advise if the job at this time would be suitable.

tea and coffee

What they want to know is: will it stop you doing the job / Will you be out on sick leave a lot.
For example, you could have diabetes and not manage it and be out all the time. The onus is on you to manage it- so by signing the declaration you are saying you are healthy enough to perform in the role by either not having an illness ,or having one and managing it in such a way that your performance in the role being offered will be unaffected.

Uriel.

I think you're reading way too much into this op. If you are functional and can do the job you applied for without being out sick extremely regularly then don't disclose your illness, you have no need to.

In 13 months time when you have passed probation it won't make any difference. Different policy applies with respect to sick leave etc. Nobody is going to be going back looking at your declaration.

wench

Have a look at the guidelines for probation in the CS.
This is the level of attendance you'd need to be able for, and is what they're asking about in the declaration.

https://hr.per.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/Probation-Guidelines.pdf
(page 12)

whampiri

Having worked as a disability liaison officer in the CS, I recommend you disclosing your illness once you have started the job. This question, as others have mentioned, is basically asking if you can do the job. If it's asking if you have a disability, answer it truthfully. If it's asking, if you're sick, again answer it truthfully in relation to you being able to do the job.

Millem

I think they will send you to occupational health. The doctor there will decide if you are “fit to work”.
The above happened to two of my friends one disclosed depression and the other one type 1 diabetes on the form when they were offered a job in the public sector.
The sailed through it

Augme

If you declare it you will be send to the CMO (chief medical officer) to be assessed if you are fit for the job.

You don't have to declare it, it won't make a difference either way as the CMO will pass you if you are fit to work.

I think it is more important to decide if you want to declare it to your employing departnent or not.