AIBU to be stressing about this?

[TwinkleToesForever]

Have just been offered a great job for a big tech company. I've got a somewhat patchy employment history in that I have been in and out of employment due to having a family but most worryingly had a claim for discrimination against a previous company 6 years ago which settled out of court - during this period, and as a direct result of the situation at work I had a period of depression and anxiety. Anyway, long story short, i haven't told the new employers about any of this.. Today I have been told they will be doing background checks as part of the pre-employment process. Does anyone know what this involves? Will they check medical records? If they see I had depression will they withdraw offer? If they find out about how I left previous company will they withdraw offer? I'm in a panic about this - so scared that dream job is slipping away! Any advice appreciated....

If they withdraw the offer based on your depression that would be discrimination. They need your permission to check medical records so you will know if they are going to or not.

With regards to the previous company, they will most likely just detail your dates of employment which is standard nowadays.

As long as you haven't lied on - eg by stretching dates to cover a gap I don't see how anything bad can come of them checking references?

Thanks for that JPR -

I was employed from Sept 2001 - November 2009 with the employer I had a claim with but was signed off sick from March - October 2009 - do you know if it will show as continuous employment or that I was signed off?

Most employers will do background checks to include medical, but this is generally with your consent. If your history is disclosed, any employer worth their weight would refer your records to occupational health to check it out and see if they have to make any reasonable adjustments. You are not obliged to disclose any medical history or state you have a disability, however in the longer term you may need their support.

I had a member of staff who had a disability but never disclosed it - not a problem. However things went pretty wrong and we had to look at formal action. It was at that stage the disability was disclosed, it was incredibly frustrating as we could have provided lots of support in the role to help the member of staff succeed and never get to the point that it did. So bear in mind that employers can put things in place to support you, its not always negative.

It should show as continuous employment BUT it depends on the reference they send through which may ask for dates of absence - sorry I know that won't fill you with confidence

I may have stretched dates slightly, not massively only by a month or so in some cases. It's embarrassing I have so many gaps on my CV which have all been due to trying to look after family and find a suitable job and having to do shit jobs from time to time, that I have resigned from. Terrified they are going to withdraw offer and I desperately need the job

I may have stretched dates slightly

LOL, you lied on your CV!

Thanks Mouikey

JPR - I am quite happy to explain that period of absence as I felt justified in my actions and in a way feel I have nothing to hide or be ashamed of - this employer treated me pretty awfully and it was a situation that I couldn't just ignore, hence the legal claim.

I think, unfortunately, if I was hiring and found someone whose background check told me things she had decided not to share and then I found the dates were wrong too, it would make me think twice. Why did you 'stretch' the dates? Lying on a CV rarely ends well

I think if they found out you lied on your CV, you could be in trouble. Sorry.

My husband works for a big tech company and has just been through the background check process(he started a few months ago). They didn't check any medical records. They did check that the dates he put on his CV for starting finishing jobs were the correct dates. Basically they went through his CV and checked that everything he had written on there was true. So they checked his quals, they checked when he started/finished jobs, they asked previous employers what he was like as an employee and if they would hire him again. They also checked any gaps in his CV. So he had a 4month gap where he was between jobs and they wanted the names of two people who could confirm that he had finished his last job on x date and that he hadn't spent the time in between jobs in prison or anything.

Well, I think now you just need to pray that they don't find out
I don't think you should tell them anything, it is too late now
How bad is the stretching on your cv?

I think it is fair to put the last day even if you were sick and were not in the office for a while. I had gardening leave and I put the last day on my cv but explained at interview and on the form.

They will probably hire an outside company and you need to fill out a form, I would be honest there, I don't think the outside company ever sees your cv. Then it is up to how thorough HR is.

Good luck

Thanks everyone!

Slept on this and had a good look through my CV again - there is a one month stretch only in a company I worked at for 3 years. helpbuying - a friend also told me that they outsource the checks and you have to fill in a form so of course I'll be 100% transparent on that!

Succulent - thanks for sharing your experience, I think if they check the same things as your DH I'll be fine!