Interviewers checking your Medical history

[melancholia555]

If you have taken anti anxietis and antidepressants for a few years, do they look badly on you, are they allowed to use this as a reason to not give you a job?

[Jaco45er]

Hiya 555

As I understand it, an employer has the right to enquire about an employees medical history in order to evaluate if there is a risk to the employee (or others) in the job they are applying for. This is considered "duty of care" on the part of the employer.

However, it is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against people on the basis of thier medical records (if irrelevant to the position), and has a duty to keep private any such issues that have been divulged.

I personally wouldn't offer the information if they didn't ask.

To be honest though, if everyone was honest and declared taking anti-depressants, and employee's discriminated agains't them, half the country would not be working from bin men to lawyers and doctors ;)

TC

Jaco

[Liverbird67]

I .went for an interview last week they gave me a CRB check and an an occupational health form which was very thorough it had a big mental health section where it asked about everything from bi-polar schizophrenia and everything inbetween. They Ieven asked about panic attacks and anxiety which is something I have never seen on forms before, I didn't want to lie and they had also asked about episodes of sickness in the last two years I came clean told them about my anxiety and depression and my awful sickness record and also told them I take meds hence the reason for my I felt a lot better hence I was applying for the job which was part time and a grade lower than what I was used to.

Hence I had a bit of a panic attack in the interview and thought oh god I have blown this one.

They phoned on Tuesday to tell me I had got the job

so there you go don't worry about it I know people from to all sorts of backgrounds whom have taken time off sick due to stress related illness.

I never thought for one minute that I would get a chance again.

Remember there are always two sides to the coin

Deb