Work asking for very personal medical information.

Ynayesta

My mom has just had her head office from work out of the blue asking for some very personal things.

• Birth Certificate
• Document with proof of NIN
• Medical questionnaire to be filled

She understands that they're asking for proof of right to work in the UK, but doesn't see why 8 years down the line they need that again.

She thinks that a lot of what they're asking especially the medical questionnaire is very personal and wants to know if she has to provide, just because they've asked for it now randomly.

She has to bring her birth certificate into work, some other form of information with her NIN on it, and they are also asking to fill out a medical history questionnaire.

It's not just her they're asking everyone at her work to do it, they're saying it's to confirm their legality to work in the UK. she has been working there for 8 or so years.

Obviously she provided all this information, including annual enhanced CRB checks (nature of the work) over the 8 year period.


tl;dr

Does my mom have to fill out a very personal questionnaire, that she feels uncomfortable with, just because her work has asked for it. Are they allowed to just ask for this information anytime they please, regardless of whether proof has been provided before hand. Any ideas on a possible reason for why they need all this?

They're not very clear or forthcoming themselves.


thanks in advance.

yvonne13_2

Lets see it from another angle...Mum has worked for the company for over eight years and she's recently been told she's diabetic but doesn't disclose the full details with HR.

Mum gets sick an ambulance is called ect ect.....Basically if HR had medical information on staff it could help narrow down what the issue is and prevention is better than cure.

Please excuse me for using such an example as I don't mean to cause any offence.

eamon

There are many protected rights characteristics under the Equality Act and it is possible that they are fact finding. Probably best to ask the reason why they want this data before making any decision.

mysk_girl

Where I work we have to prove our right to work every 2 years. Can't see why this is an issue? Right to work in the UK can expire, so they do a blanket check every 2 years.

Don't know about the medical stuff, I've never been asked for that.

The_Unready

Ynayesta wrote: »

She understands that they're asking for proof of right to work in the UK, but doesn't see why 8 years down the line they need that again.

It's not just her they're asking everyone at her work to do it, they're saying it's to confirm their legality to work in the UK. she has been working there for 8 or so years.

If they are just asking for this info to check her right to work in the UK, then they don't need all those details. A valid passport which proves she is a UK citizen is all they need.

This link provides more details. She will, however, need a birth certificate and proof of NINO if she doesn't have a passport.

Additionally, a NINO is not classified as proof of identity. The last paragraph on page 7 of this link provides more details.

So, unless they are trying to check something else other than the right to work, your mum should point her employers in the direction of those links.

The Unready

bubblegumcola

The medical questionnaire must be coming specifically from the company. Is the medical questionnaire possibly connected to the type of work they are employed to do? It should be kept confidential but I understand why people might not be happy filling one in, I'm sure I've had to do one in for a previous employer.
Where I work we have all recently had to provide proof of our right to work in the UK, we were given a list of acceptable documents we could show them. The reason everyone was given was something to do with an asylum and immigration act which came into force (not sure how recently the act came into force).

patman99

They may give her a form, but if she answers every questiopn 'no', then there is not a lot they can do.

Wellery82

mysk_girl wrote: »

Where I work we have to prove our right to work every 2 years. Can't see why this is an issue? Right to work in the UK can expire, so they do a blanket check every 2 years.

Don't know about the medical stuff, I've never been asked for that.

List A documentation, such as a British passport does not expire so seems a bit of a waste of their time to do rechecks for everyone as many will only need one check to be in place!

Ynayesta

I've had a look through the questionnaire, actually it's pretty invasive. The vast majority of it does not relate in the slightest to her work, everything from "mental health problems or complaints" to "gynaecological problems". One question asks if you've ever had radio or chemotherapy.

yvonne13 wrote: »

Lets see it from another angle...Mum has worked for the company for over eight years and she's recently been told she's diabetic but doesn't disclose the full details with HR.

Mum gets sick an ambulance is called ect ect.....Basically if HR had medical information on staff it could help narrow down what the issue is and prevention is better than cure.

Please excuse me for using such an example as I don't mean to cause any offence.

In this example's case it's still no-one's business, and HR can not prevent diabetes. Anyone with it would be responsible for their own insulin or choices surrounding their condition, and in such a situation the only appropriate action is to call paramedics, so I don't actually get it. It's not really a point in favour of the medical questionnaire.



About the right to work in the UK stuff, I never said it was an issue she understands why they need to have proof but considering she has proven this to them on starting work (with a valid UK passport which as stated does not expire)

The company made a lot of changes recently, including changing employee's contracts, making them take a pay cut, getting rid of their part in pensions, and 'getting rid' of staff on the older contract then re-hiring people on the newer contract with lower wages.

As my mom is on the older contract, though has taken a cut in wages and holiday, she feels they're trying to look for reasons to cut back on more staff members. She's rightly paranoid I feel, at least they way the company has treated it's staff of late, I'd be paranoid too.

I've filled in medical questionnaires before, but it's all been very clear. Asking about back problems and tennis elbow. I've never had a company ask about the health of my vagina. It's definitely not related to her work, her manager has said she 'HAS' to fill this in.

So she is able to answer no to everything, though it might be true or not, and they can-not penalise her?

She said she was going to call HR and try to find out exactly why they want to know, as her line manager and manager haven't been able to give her a straight answer.

mysk_girl

I believe the company is required to retain proof that they've checked your Mum's right to work. If they didn't keep a copy of her passport last time they checked, this may be why they are asking again.

However, I would most certainly refuse to answer any questionnaire with those kinds of questions unless I was given a VERY good reason why (which would be a legal requirement, nothing less). My gynae issues (not that I have any) are irrelevant to my job until such time as I require time off to deal with them. At that point it becomes possibly of interest to my employer. This is not a legal opinion at all, just how I see it! There may be legal reason why they are asking, but someone more qualified than I would need to confirm that.

Sambucus_Nigra

I would fill it in with 'how is this relevant to my work?' on each entry. Possibly use different style of handwriting or coloured pen each time. And I'd do it in work time. I'd copy it before and after, and then consult a solicitor or union official before sending it back. I'd also tell them that I was consulting a solicitor or union official.

Talking of which, scan the form removing any confidential info and post it on this forum for SarEl to comment on.

http://www.redundancyforum.co.uk/