Intrusive pre-employment medical questionnaire?

Maat

I have been offered an office-based position, and am eager to accept. I was sent a pre-employment medical questionnaire, and was shocked at the information they wish to obtain - information which really has nothing to do with my capacity to carry out the job.

I wonder at the legality of putting people under pressure to divulge such unnecessary information.

Some of the questions are:

• Have you ever suffered from headaches?
• Have you ever suffered from indigestion?
• Have you ever suffered from acne/dry skin/excessive sweating?
• Have you ever suffered from any form of gynaecological problem?
• Have you ever take medication for longer than two weeks (including anti-biotics) if so when, and what for?
• Have you ever undergone any type of surgery in your life? If so when, and what for?

I am also being asked to sign a disclosure giving this company (third party) permission to contact any doctor I have ever seen in my life for further information about my medical history, and I am supposed to get a witness to sign this!

I have never in my life encountered anything like this! I don't have anything to hide and am absolutely fit for the job. But I really feel uncomfortable giving basically my entire medical history from childhood to this company and signing this form.

Any thoughts?

lifeandtimes

Maat wrote: »

I have been offered an office-based position, and am eager to accept. I was sent a pre-employment medical questionnaire, and was shocked at the information they wish to obtain - information which really has nothing to do with my capacity to carry out the job.

I wonder at the legality of putting people under pressure to divulge such unnecessary information.

Some of the questions are:

• Have you ever suffered from headaches?
• Have youever suffered from indigestion?
• Have you ever suffered from acne/dry skin/excessive sweating?
• Have you ever suffered from any form of gynaecological problem?
• Have you ever take medication for longer than two weeks (including anti-biotics) if so when, and what for?
• Have you ever undergone any type of surgery in your life? If so when, and what for?

I am also being asked to sign a disclosure giving this company (third party) permission to contact any doctor I have ever seen in my life for further information about my medical history, and I am supposed to get a witness to sign this!

I have never in my life encountered anything like this! I don't have anything to hide and am absolutely fit for the job. But I really feel uncomfortable giving basically my entire medical history from childhood to this company and signing this form.

Any thoughts?

You could just say no to all and then let them contact your doctor but tell your doc you want him to reply with the same info , no.

They can't get your medical records from your doc nor will they release them. They'll just want confirmation from the doctor that he says your ok.

Does thos company provide healthcare?

May be why they're asking

Maat

lifeandtimes wrote: »

You could just say no to all and then let them contact your doctor but tell your doc you want him to reply with the same info , no.

They can't get your medical records from your doc nor will they release them. They'll just want confirmation from the doctor that he says your ok.

Does thos company provide healthcare?

May be why they're asking

Yes I could say no, but then I would be lying. I won't lie because this can have repercussions later on should any issue emerge.

No it does not provide healthcare.

emeldc

The medication question is a bit sneaky IMO. Answering yes could lead you to telling them about your high BP or your diabetes or anxiety that all need long term care but a question they probably wouldn't be allowed ask you directly. I'd have difficulty remembering all the surgeries I've had. I certainly wouldn't want to discuss some of them with an employer. Tell them you want to be truthful about it and to contact your GP for details. I reckon he'll tell them to fugg off.

billybonkers

Maat wrote: »

Yes I could say no, but then I would be lying. I won't lie because this can have repercussions later on should any issue emerge.

No it does not provide healthcare.

So don't lie and answer the questions...

nuac

Never saw such intrusive and general questions. Wind-up?

Veloce

"Have you ever suffered from excessive sweating?"

...."yes that time I was on holiday in Majorca during a heat wave.."

WTF.

Has to be wind-up. I wouldn't answer any of those questions. Tell them you can provide a report from your GP at their expense outlining that you have no medical concerns and are fit for the job description/role as specified.

Mr. Incognito

I've heard of American companies insuring their employees and if they die they company gets a pay out.

I would simply ask why this information is being sought as it appears intrusive and get the confirmation in writing why they require it.

emeldc

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

I've heard of American companies insuring their employees and if they die they company gets a pay out.

Insure someone else's life ?

martingriff

I am wondering are they asking in a roundabout way about your sick leave and how it could impact and throwing in a question that has nothing to do with it. Has the job got anything to do with food or working machinary/vehicle

Pat Mustard

Maat wrote: »

I have been offered an office-based position, and am eager to accept.

This employer does not respect you. Consider if you want to work for these people and if so, maybe you need a union.

notsoyoungwan

lifeandtimes wrote: »

You could just say no to all and then let them contact your doctor but tell your doc you want him to reply with the same info , no.

Your doctor won't (or at least shouldn't )lie for you

CalamariFritti

Ye unless it is for a job where this is clearly relevant - say for example medical lab job or so - I wouldn't. But then its easy to say that when you have a job.

gk5000

notsoyoungwan wrote: »

Your doctor won't (or at least shouldn't )lie for you

Your doctor "should" state that you are fit and healthy enough for said job (or not if that is the case) - but should absolutely not divulge your personal information.

It's an unfair question so it may be ethically correct for you to state what you need to state to get the job.

notsoyoungwan

gk5000 wrote: »

Your doctor "should" state that you are fit and healthy enough for said job (or not if that is the case) - but should absolutely not divulge your personal information.

Well the doc can 'divulge' personal information with the poster's consent, which the company asked for. The rights and wrongs of the company asking for such info is still up for discussion!

Ghekko

I remember a similar questionnaire many years ago. Naively I answered. Now I'd reply 'irrelevant to job spec'. If my memory serves me correctly there was a specific question about periods. Bloody nerve of them! It was only a secretarial desk job.

Victor

emeldc wrote: »

Insure someone else's life ?

Yes. It may cost the employer substantially to replace (key) employees.

emeldc

Victor wrote: »

Yes. It may cost the employer substantially to replace (key) employees.

That would be a business loss, not a personal one. Staff are always replaceable even if it costs extra. But if you have a link to show where it might be valid I'll stand corrected.
If your boss had your life insured for his or his company's gain, would you walk down the stairs in front of him?

screamer

I had one recently also. Had to be completed online and TBH I went to my doctors surgery and sat there with one of the nurses and we filled in the forms from my medical history and this was before I was even offered the job. Doctors can be asked for your details under freedom of information. My advise is if you want the job just fill it in honestly. I know that's what I did although I also wasn't comfortable giving such personal details, I really wanted the job. Employer also doesn't provide health insurance though.

Victor

screamer wrote: »

I had one recently also. Had to be completed online and TBH I went to my doctors surgery and sat there with one of the nurses and we filled in the forms from my medical history and this was before I was even offered the job.

Before the job offer, such forms are only appropriate if they are separate to the application process, so that the employer can indicate it's compliance with anti-discrimination rules relating to employing people who have a disability / illness.

ted1

Tbh they are fairly standard in two grounds.

1.) if the company provide life policies they need their minimise their risk.

2.) they also need to ensure thathe the staff leaves as they arrived so that there is no work place injury claims.

emeldc

screamer wrote: »

I had one recently also. Had to be completed online and TBH I went to my doctors surgery and sat there with one of the nurses and we filled in the forms from my medical history and this was before I was even offered the job. Doctors can be asked for your details under freedom of information. My advise is if you want the job just fill it in honestly. I know that's what I did although I also wasn't comfortable giving such personal details, I really wanted the job. Employer also doesn't provide health insurance though.

I think you might have made that bit up

scarepanda

Maat wrote: »

[*] Have you ever suffered from any form of gynaecological problem?

This is way to specific and obviously only affects female employees. I would run a mile on this question alone. How would the answer to this question affect your ability to do a job?

GerardKeating

emeldc wrote: »

Insure someone else's life ?

It called Key person insurance.

GerardKeating

screamer wrote: »

Doctors can be asked for your details under freedom of information.

Not unless you are dead, FOI can be used to (in certain circumstances) to get the medical records of a dead person, but not a living person, Data protection would apply to the records on a living person.

In general, your medical records are private unless you give consent, or someone gets a court order.

Victor

ted1 wrote: »

Tbh they are fairly standard in two grounds.

1.) if the company provide life policies they need their minimise their risk.

One has to be very careful with this, as disability under the Employment Equality Acts includes:

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1998/act/21/section/2/enacted/en/html#sec2

“disability” means—

(a) the total or partial absence of a person's bodily or mental functions, including the absence of a part of a person's body,
(b) the presence in the body of organisms causing, or likely to cause, chronic disease or illness,
(c) the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of a person's body,
(d) a condition or malfunction which results in a person learning differently from a person without the condition or malfunction, or
(e) a condition, illness or disease which affects a person's thought processes, perception of reality, emotions or judgement or which results in disturbed behaviour,

and shall be taken to include a disability which exists at present, or which previously existed but no longer exists, or which may exist in the future or which is imputed to a person;

This means asking such questions are prima facie discriminating and need to be justified, e.g. it could be easily justified not employing a wheelchair-bound person as a blocklayer.

screamer wrote: »

Doctors can be asked for your details under freedom of information.

emeldc wrote: »

I think you might have made that bit up

Using the Data Protection Acts would be more usual.

Heckler

I'm adopted and have no access or knowledge of any possible family history of any illness.

I just tick everything Nah X. Any history of...Nah X.

Probably make the whole thing null and void. Nah X