Job offered but off sick on old job

Marcon

MalMonroe said:

hamilton63 said:

Can anybody advise me
I am currently off sick with stress (due to being bullied at work) the second time within the year and am currently on half pay
I have have just got a new job (pending on medical and DBS check) and have not disclosed the sickness to my new employer as i am embarrassed about my situation
I just found out that they will need a medical from my GP, could i be refused the new job and should i speak to my potential new Manager about my current sickness and why I am off?

I think it depends on what kind of job you will be doing, since the new employer seems to be very keen to check out your medical status.

Many employers request a medical (often via a company doctor) before an offer of employment is confirmed. Mental health in particular is a huge issue, and too many people are still frightened to disclose non-physical issues, which means the new employer can't give the support they may need.

Failing to disclose your situation because you are embarrassed is understandable but counter-productive - and a reference is likely to show significant periods of ill health absence (which, given a medical is required, is almost certain to be included as a question from your potential new employer).

None of this means the job offer will be withdrawn, but trying to cover up is likely to make you feel worse and even less able to cope than you are at present. I'm with Exodi on this one:

Exodi said:

Personally, I'm a fan of 'honesty is the best policy', not because I am virtuous, but because I hate living life on edge that any minute the veil may fall. At least if you mention that you've been off on long term sickness due to stress, you can explain your side of the story regarding bullying. This would be far better than the new employer finding out and assuming you're just swinging the lead.

goater78

Marcon said:

MalMonroe said:

hamilton63 said:

Can anybody advise me
I am currently off sick with stress (due to being bullied at work) the second time within the year and am currently on half pay
I have have just got a new job (pending on medical and DBS check) and have not disclosed the sickness to my new employer as i am embarrassed about my situation
I just found out that they will need a medical from my GP, could i be refused the new job and should i speak to my potential new Manager about my current sickness and why I am off?

I think it depends on what kind of job you will be doing, since the new employer seems to be very keen to check out your medical status.

Many employers request a medical (often via a company doctor) before an offer of employment is confirmed. Mental health in particular is a huge issue, and too many people are still frightened to disclose non-physical issues, which means the new employer can't give the support they may need.

Failing to disclose your situation because you are embarrassed is understandable but counter-productive - and a reference is likely to show significant periods of ill health absence (which, given a medical is required, is almost certain to be included as a question from your potential new employer).

None of this means the job offer will be withdrawn, but trying to cover up is likely to make you feel worse and even less able to cope than you are at present. I'm with Exodi on this one:

Exodi said:

Personally, I'm a fan of 'honesty is the best policy', not because I am virtuous, but because I hate living life on edge that any minute the veil may fall. At least if you mention that you've been off on long term sickness due to stress, you can explain your side of the story regarding bullying. This would be far better than the new employer finding out and assuming you're just swinging the lead.

Do many companies really request a company doctor do a medical before offering a job to a candidate? I’ve never heard this happening to anyone. Personally I would turn a job down if one if the condition of employment was a company doctor had to do a full medical on me!

EDIT. In fact there seems to be very strict rules on when you can ask medical questions. 

https://www.gov.uk/employers-checks-job-applicants

Savvy_Sue

I would think carefully about how you say whatever you decide to say to the new manager. One person's bullying is another person's requirement for high standards, and it is always best not to be too disparaging about your current manager - for all you know they are best buddies with the new manager, or at least on nodding terms in a professional network. That's even more important if you're moving within the same line of work. 

I am not, by the way, saying that you haven't been bullied. I don't know what's happened. I've seen some ridiculous things happen: nearly resigned myself a while ago but the manager in question went first. The manager would claim they were not asking for anything unreasonable, and felt my behaviour wasn't supportive of my immediate colleagues (who were perfectly happy with my actions). I spent a few weeks feeling sick about going to work, having difficulty sleeping, avoiding this manager when I was there, terrified every day that I'd be challenged about a situation that was partly out of my control. And I'm a tough cookie. 

But if I'd had to take sick leave, or raise a grievance, I'd have wanted to explain myself very carefully afterwards to a new employer. Because what I was being asked to do was not, in itself, an unreasonable request, and in other circumstances it might have been both necessary and reasonable. However at the time it felt like bullying, 'yanking my chain' just because it could be yanked, an attempt to establish dominance over me. 

I think if it had led to sickness, or there'd been some query over my reference, I'd have had to go with something like "After many happy years working for X organisation with no complaints about my work, a new manager suddenly required me to perform in a very different way, and I no longer felt trusted or capable of directing my own workload. This affected my health and mental wellbeing, and I was forced to take some time off in order to recover. Unfortunately on my return to work the situation did not improve, which has led to me seeking alternative employment. [I believe] I am now fully recovered and I am looking forward to new challenges." 

If you're going to communicate that in a phone call, you need to practice beforehand, explaining what the medical report is going to show. 

Others may have better advice.