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 Is it likely that the job offer will be withdrawn?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?

It hasn't happened yet OP
don't let the anxiety get the better of you!!!

If the contract has been issued, signed and returned, it's a done deal surely.

I could have wrote this, get ahead of it, send an email to HR and explain why you were off, how you will mitigate it, how you feel its under control, and that you have learnt alot from that area. Pop in ways you will seek support before it gets to absence level and offer a character reference to bolster the professional ones (this is what made my employer go for me despite the sickness, the character reference and the "plan" I had surrounding absence management for myself). I was referred to Occ Health and passed.

Sorry OP but this doesn’t sound like you’re on top of your anxiety.

I'm sorry, I agree with @PinkPlantCase. In all likelihood, this won't be an issue at all but it sounds like you're spiralling. Is there anyone you can talk to about it?

I would try and temper your thoughts!
You have been honest and they have offered the job. All of my former employers literally gave employment dates.

You don’t know yet what will happen, I changed job following a period of poor mental health including 2 absences of 8 weeks in one year. The appointing manager had a chat and referred my to occupational health who assessed me as fine to start work. The anxiety was situational and I had left that situation so reason to think I’d have further absence.

Given you have your contract could you speak to their HR or the appointing manager, explain you know your absence record will come back in your reference and give them a brief explanation. That way they have all the information to base their decision on?

I know I'm spiralling but it's just bringing up all these horrible memories of what I went through, I just want to put it behind me and move on. I've spoken to friends and family and they all say different things.

So on my form I wrote I had anxiety, and ticked that I had had time off. I didn't expand on that to say I had a significant amount of time off last year - is that being dishonest?

The irony is I think my mental health, when it comes to work, is the strongest it's ever been as when I spoke to the employee assistance programme they helped me put things in place.

I just hate the waiting around. I don't know whether to:

• Sit tight and hope that my attendance isn't given in a reference
• Ask the HR department of my current employer what they provide in a reference (I'm not sure if I can ask that? It may vary depending on what they are asked to include in the reference?)
• Email the HR department of the job offer saying I need to amend my health declaration form and be more open in it by writing that I had a period of time off work last year

Just sit tight @Sofiaaaaa It may not come up at all. If it does, they'll undoubtedly give you chance to explain and as you're on a 3 month probation they don't have a lot to lose anyhow.

I checked my current company's policy on references and bit just says that they will be factual (e.g. start and end dates). It doesn't mention attendance, but I know that's factual too

It depends on what the new company has asked - they can ask about attendance but might not. I have filled in a few references in my time but can't remember if it's ever come up.

Did you sign any sort of consent form for requesting sensitive personal data from your previous workplace?

If not, they're unlikely to request sensitive information - more factual information.

However, that relies on both parties being up to scratch with their data protection knowledge...

I certainly sympathise, because I left a company after burning out/being harassed by an ex work partner via work. I was signed off for the last 2.5 months I worked there.

Fortunately my deputy, who took over my role and gave my reference, was enormously sympathetic to my situation, and she agreed with my wish to wipe the slate clean with my new employer several months later, so only gave a factual reference relating to dates and roles, plus a positive affirmation of me as an employee.

I disagree with those who've said that your not over your anxiety because of your being anxious about this. One of the things you have to deal with post anxiety is allowing yourself normal anxiety. Security of a job offer is a normal thing to have anxious feelings about. So acknowledge that feeling, process it and make the decisions you need to.

Try not to worry OP, in the vast majority of cases, most employers do not ask for sickness records, and even if they do, its unlikely the other company would be willing to provide it.

If for some reason we received this info as part of a reference, it would not make me withdraw the offer - it would only be an issue if you had numerous/prolonged absence during your probation period and even then, its something we would try and support and talk with you first.

Hi OP- I worked in HR. Please try not to worry- I know that’s tricky though.

It sounds like you have been upfront that anxiety has been a health issue for you. You also say you’ve received a job offer conditional on references and signed a contract?

Best practice would be that the references would be considered satisfactory unless they disclosed very serious misconduct. If the references were negative your new employers should seek to understand the situation, but not make a snap judgement- best practice says they should be aware that both negative and positive references can be highly subjective and it is better to rely on a competence-based interview process. If the references disclose prolonged absence, that together with your disclosure of anxiety should trigger a pre-employment conversation with occupational health- not to rescind the offer but to ensure you had appropriate support in place to start well.

If the employer does not follow best practice, and is willing to rescind the offer after receiving a signed contract, honestly it is probably a lucky escape not to have to wish for them.

Very best of luck to you.

not to have to work* for them

I'm sure you'll be fine OP, it's not that unusual for people to have had time off for this sort of thing, and although of course discrimination does exist it doesn't sound like you've had excessive amounts of time off- they might not even say on a reference. Where I am you'd be put in touch with occ health who would want a chat just to make sure all was well and what they could do to support you. If they do reject you then to be honest not the type of place you'd want to work anyway.