Job interview with signed off with anxiety?

[June83]

I was so ill last week I completely failed to notice that I had been offered an interview. Most of my anxiety/stress is caused by work so I have been applying for every post I could be applicable for - this is the only interview I have been offered! If I was at work this week I would have told my manager about the interview and attended it but I am signed off with anxiety at the moment! Forgetting the whole attending an interview while suffering anxiety attacks I just don't know what to do. Ethically as well as legally! My work contract is at work so I cannot even check that and I cannot access the HR pages when I am off site. The new job (if I pulled off a miracle) is only £1000 more than I am on now - so not really a job to worth being sacked over for breaking my contract some how by attending interview while off sick! But I would love to attend with the hope of escaping where I currently work! Why does everything happen in the same week!

[beastman1103]

hi

glad to hear you have an interview. Dont think you have any legal obligation to let your employer know that you are attending an in interview and ethically this would be up to yourself. Personally if your aniexty is work related then i wouldnt tell them. In terms of any potential new employer then employers are no longer free to ask such questions as they please. Under the equality act 2010 , which came into force on 1 October, any medical questions asked before a job offer is made must relate specifically to the tasks involved in carrying out the role

hope this helps but if i can be of any help regarding interview techniques then just let me know

hope all goes well xxx

[Edie]

There's no obligation to tell your employer whether and when you're having a job interview. You're allowed to look for other jobs, so tgere's no ethical reason to tell your current employer either. You do have an obligation to get yourself well enough to return to work from sick leave, so if you were seen playing football whilst recovering from an injury they might, just might, have a reason to tell you off. But unless your doctor has advised you not to attend job interviews (and how would your employer ever find out this given medical records are confidential), there's absolutely no medical, legal or ethical reason why you shouldn't go.

Good luck!