Can prospective employer withdraw a conditional offer due to my current sickness record?

Undervalued

vincent.lee wrote: »

I don't really see how me have chest infections would make me question whether train driving is the right choice...

Maybe not but five months off for stress due to "personal issues" would ring alarm bells.

Sorry to be blunt but look at it from their point of view. These "issues" made you so ill with stress that you couldn't work at all for five months?

As I say, I simply don't know what specific medical requirements have to be met for train driving. Maybe there are none but simple logic would suggest there must be. Certainly you have have big medical hurdles to get over if you wanted to become a commercial pilot.

Unless somebody with expert knowledge of the rail industry can advise all you can do is be honest and see what happens.

Whatever you do, do not be "economical with the truth".

Undervalued

elsien wrote: »

They shouldn't do the health screening until after a job offer has been made. That would give you the opportunity to explain the circumstances and that you do not expect a recurrence. They might do an occuoational health referral if they're not sure.
For future reference, one longer absence tends to flag up less alarms than several short ones over the same period of time.

That is all true for "normal" jobs but I suspect far more rigorous procedures must apply for something like this.

vincent.lee

Undervalued wrote: »

Maybe not but five months off for stress due to "personal issues" would ring alarm bells.

Sorry to be blunt but look at it from their point of view. These "issues" made you so ill with stress that you couldn't work at all for five months?

As I say, I simply don't know what specific medical requirements have to be met for train driving. Maybe there are none but simple logic would suggest there must be. Certainly you have have big medical hurdles to get over if you wanted to become a commercial pilot.

Unless somebody with expert knowledge of the rail industry can advise all you can do is be honest and see what happens.

Whatever you do, do not be "economical with the truth".

The 5 months off on stress were largely due to my working location, and the very sensitive mental health of my wife at the time. This also all ended in October 2016 - more than 2 years ago.

I'd be highly doubtful if they'd look upon this and not offer me the job based on it.

TELLIT01

Les79 wrote: »

Indeed, HOWEVER I would personally categorise firefighters in the same bracket as police officers, just a (usually) milder version.

A train driver role, in comparison, may be much less stressful (you may have the odd suicide on the track etc but you aren't dealing with them first hand).

What an utterly ridiculous comment about not dealing with suicide first hand. When somebody walks onto the track, and you know there is no way to stop, it is absolutely 'first hand'. The driver can't just run away and leave it to somebody else. My neighbour was a train driver who experienced it and it took him months get over it as best he could.

System

sangie595 wrote: »

Not in the slightest. I think you are the only person who doesn't see what you wrote. You needed a job as a firefighter so that you don't get sacked for sick absence. That's what you said. And you strongly implied that made firefighting an easy life. If you fancy your chances, go for it.

Still don't know how you got from "I need a job as a firefighter" to "firefighting an easy life". I never said anything about firefighting being easy. You'd be no good in a courtroom matey boy.

System

vincent.lee wrote: »

I joined for helping people and lives.

I bet you wouldn't think the sick leave is great when you're walking into a smoke filled building, looking for a missing child....

What on earth has that got to do with my comment?

sangie595

vincent.lee wrote: »

The 5 months off on stress were largely due to my working location, and the very sensitive mental health of my wife at the time. This also all ended in October 2016 - more than 2 years ago.

I'd be highly doubtful if they'd look upon this and not offer me the job based on it.

It doesn't work like that though. It may not matter- but we can't judge that. The best anyone here can say is to tell the whole truth when asked. You must appreciate that they don't just look at circumstances, but also at patterns and context. Just like the Fire Services do. They will look at exactly what happened and how you were reacting. Think about it- stress can mean a lot of things. It can mean a near breakdown or irrational behaviour. And mental ill health doesn't necessarily just "go away" - some people may have one instance, others may have trust episodes over years.

It's impossible for anyone here to tell you how they will decide, but the most important thing is that if questioned, be open and honest. Demonstrating an understanding of yourself in this can make a big difference.

But you need to be clear, a conditional offer is just that, and they can dismiss in the first two years for pretty much anything anyway. These are things nobody can control.

Me2you

Have you been offered a position yet?

Conditional or unconditional?

Having time of from a job isn’t ideal but at the same time !!!! happens and fire men have a limit to the number of years they can work - don’t see many over a certain age group due to the physical nature.

You will have to go through the process. Have you been asked to complete a health questionnaire yet?

If you do get asked to fill it out, I would be honest but at the same time say you are willing to have a health assessment etc.

t0rt0ise

You'll be seen by Occupational Health. Everyone has to before being given the job. You'll have to fill a medical form in and it'll ask things like "have you ever been diagnosed with depression or stress?" If in doubt they'll want to get a report from your GP. If you lie and they later find out you'll be sacked.

Undervalued

t0rt0ise wrote: »

You'll be seen by Occupational Health. Everyone has to before being given the job. You'll have to fill a medical form in and it'll ask things like "have you ever been diagnosed with depression or stress?" If in doubt they'll want to get a report from your GP. If you lie and they later find out you'll be sacked.

At the very minimum.

In the context of train driving it may well be a criminal offence. As I indicated earlier it certainly would be if the OP wanted to be a commercial pilot and provided false medical information.