Anyone in HR? Withdrawing a job offer due to poor reference

[Sofiaaaaa]

Candidate has disclosed on health declaration form that they have anxiety, but has not disclosed that they have a disability under the Equality Act. References for the last 2 years have been provided - first job had high attendance levels but was only a 6-month fixed term contract, second and current job has high levels of sickness, including 2 months signed off sick with anxiety.

I'm the candidate in this scenario. Is it likely that the job offer will be withdrawn? Or will I get a chance to explain myself?

Why was it not put down as a disability? (Not judging just understanding the impact it has on your life)

Also depends on the job

I feel like it would no longer be classed as a disability as it doesn't impact my life now that I have it under control, but before that it would have

The job is an office-based job in the private sector

You've been offered the job?

If its hard to fill I don't think they'd reject you now. They might give you a longer probation.

If it doesn’t impact your life then why declare it at all?

If you’re especially worried about it be upfront about it in the interview. But I wouldn’t bother mentioning it, I don’t know how much people actually check references

I was about to say long probation too.

It wouldn't put me off at all not least as I'd worry that rejecting someone because of previous ill health would be unfair and/or discriminatory. But also because I've had periods signed off sick in the past as well and it doesn't impact my ability to do my job now.

It's so hard being in this situation :(

Are you sure your current employer will even mention it? Many now only provide the dates employed confirmation references.

I'm a bit worried about this too this year. In the past, I've rarely been sick or taken time off work.
This year I've been quite ill and had lots of hospital appointments etc. I also have really bad anxiety atm. It's just been a really tough year for me health wise.

From my experience though nowadays, a reference is just confirmation of dates of employment in many situations. It's certainly not a 2 page essay otherwise our seniors would be writing references all day. They don't have the time.

Yes, I've received a written unconditional offer and signed my contract today. I'm not sure if the reference from my current employer will mention it, all references go through HR and they do know the circumstances of my sick leave (I had weekly meetings with HR whilst off and during my return-to-work plan. They've seen my medical records, as well as a very detailed report from the employee assistance programme they referred me to.

I did have some reasonable adjustments made but they have stopped now, which is another reason I feel like I no longer meet the disability criteria.

The probation period in the contract I signed is 3 months, with a 1-week notice period, so I'm hoping that will help them feel some security if they do decide to take me on.

This.

I collect references as part of my current role. It’s very very unusual for a previous employer to give any detail which isn’t either a) just confirmation of dates of employment or b) a decent, very general reference.

The only time I got a bad reference for someone was when I actually called an ex-employer and they told me verbally on the QT that the candidate wasn’t a team player. They wouldn’t put it in writing. Offer was withdrawn.

I understand this isn’t true for some industries, eg teaching, but private sector office job I wouldn’t lose much sleep over it.

When I worked in HR this wouldn't make me withdraw the offer but I would want to chat with you to ask:
Is the illness 'over'?
What are you doing which will enable you to cope better with future recurrences?
What is different about this job compared to previous ones which makes you think this won't be a problem? - particularly important with mental health issues or anything exacerbated by work eg this job is less responsibility /hours /different type of employer /less of X task.

I was in an almost identical situation a few years ago and the new employer didn't even mention it, despite an extensive pre-employment screening process. I think it helps that you've disclosed it on your health screening form so it isn't a surprise if mentioned in your reference.

Sorry to stay it might happen. About 5 years ago I shared an office with the HR manager at our small company. I couldn’t help overhearing one former employee ranting and raving loudly on the phone that a job offer at a new place had been withdrawn because of her sickness record. (It was anxiety/stress related absence.)

HR person had been sent the reference form to fill in by the new company which asked how many sick days the prospective employee had taken off. The HR person stated correctly that she’d taken about 8 weeks off in total in the last year. Didn’t say anything negative on the reference form, just answered the questions, but it was enough for the offer to be withdrawn.

Is it still legal to ask how many sickness days someone has had?

i wrote a reference for a member of my team who had mh issues and I’d supported her through. She was brilliant but did have high sickness. In my reference I was honest but also explained the steps I put in place that had helped significantly reduce her sickness, saying that with the right support she was an absolute asset to any organisation. I showed it to her before sending it to the new employer as it was personal info. Otherwise they would have just had numbers which, without context, could have been unhelpful.

The new employer sent me a lovely email thanking me and he told his new employee that my reference was the best, most honest and helpful I’ve he’d ever received.

My advice is to be very honest. You can say your current workplace is not the right place for you and that has increased your anxiety which is why you are removing yourself from that environment and looking forward to working for the new organisation.

I had a period of sickness of about 6 weeks. I had two job offers withdrawn (they were conditional on “satisfactory references” - I notice you have an unconditional offer so may be different for you). At my third job interview I brought it up myself and was offered the job; I was there for ten years with very little time off. Good luck OP, it’s shit when your health affects your work.

@FirstFallopians this worries me. My new manager / team is toxic (3 combined teams with new manager) and he’d probably say I’m not a team player… reality, I’m not a fan of gaslighting and bullying and as 2 members of the team are actively trying to damage my reputation because they want my job, nothing I do will be right. I have 8 years of perfect appraisals and data supported success but this one Manager could prevent me moving on with a quiet word that he’d never put in writing.

You have an 'unconditional' offer?
I'd only worry if it was conditional.
Or am I missing something?

If you have the option, just provide the general HR contact email address for any future reference requests rather than your manager’s contact information. They’re much more likely to give a really general reference.

Alternatively you could skip that employment entirely- not all employers stipulate that one reference has to come from the most recent employer.

Sorry I meant conditional!

I’m going to be honest it’s really difficult to read that I could get a job offer withdrawn because of a genuine medical reason that I couldn’t help. It makes me feel so hopeless 😞

I know people with criminal records who have been in prison for fraud and people who have lied about academic qualifications who are high fliers on high salaries, yet a period of poor mental health due to a variety of personal reasons including being in an emotionally abusive relationship is likely to affect my chance a getting a job I’ve worked so hard for. I feel like giving up to be honest