to refuse a work medical?

[MontyPythonsFlyingFuck]

Just that, really. At my grade they are apparently compulsory every year. I have a variety of interesting (really, really not) medical conditions and every single time I have had one of these it's just resulted in me being told I am unfit, overweight and in poor condition. Oddly enough, I already know all those things, and they are all related to the medical stuff. I've never felt the medicals help me in any way. I did not sign up to them when I joined my employer at a far more junior grade some time ago. I find them intrusive, depressing and unhelpful. The bits that ought to be useful (mammogram and smear) have for the last three years not been sent to my GP as promised. What do you think would happen if I just refused to go?

Nothing

God I hope you're right. I think I'll ring them on Monday and just say what I've written. I hadn't really realised how much it was bugging me till I actually wrote that down!

I suppose it depends on what job you do as to whether anything would happen. Pilot/astronaut/train driver might be important. Checkout supervisor less so.

Well yes sorry I'm obviously you're not assuming the medical is needed to do your job- but then you'd already know about that??

Project managery stuff. Nothing that remotely affects anyone else's safety - if I dropped dead over a spreadsheet, yes, it would be sad for some people, but it's not like slumping over the controls of a plane...

It's one of those things that is touted as a "benefit", but I don't find it remotely beneficial, given that I already spend plenty of time with medical professionals.

If I dropped dead over a spreadsheet, yes, it would be sad for some people, but it's not like slumping over the controls of a plane...

That did make me laugh!

As far as I know they are optional.

Could it be something to do with life/health insurance? You may find if it is that you're no longer covered.

Do you get private healthcare through your job? It may be a condition of being eligible for it.

What doesn't your contract say? some places (such as train workers) have compulsory test things that need to happen but this would probably be more due to h&s

If it's a "benefit" then you don't have to go?

They cannot fire you due to your medical issues.

where do you work as a project manager where you are required to have a regular smear and mammogram as part of your contract
what sort of projects need that?
are you sure the work medical is compulsary

Had private healthcare at work, no medical (or even disclosure of existng conditions ) was necessary.
Only time I ever had to see the company doctor was prior to an overseas assignment. And I was OK with that although he gave me unnecessary malaria tabs that i ditched.

I think that you should be really grateful actually!

Just refuse consent for them to do anything. Don't fill in any forms. If they ask for your GP details tell them you are not registered.

Might they be compulsory for CEOs/CFOs or similar, in a PLC? Do you fit in there OP?

By that I mean a successful public company might require its most senior officers to have a medical every year to show shareholders that the top management was in good enough shape to endure the company's continuing success, IFYSWIM.

...ensure , not endure.

Husband is in senior management and has a medical every year for 3 reasons. He has healthcare and life assurance provided as benefits and also the firm has key man insurance in place over him too.

It may be that you have to lose some of your benefits if you refuse (assuming you have some) but also it may put the company in a detrimental position if they can no longer have key man insurance if yours would be an expensive position to fill if you were off long term sick etc.

My dad is probably still alive because of something picked up during his annual work medical. I think you need to check with hr as to whether you have to.

Do you get private medical insurance as perk of the job?

They cannot fire you due to your medical issues.

What? Of course they can fire people due to medical issues. A company can fire people for whatever reason they want.

The employee may or may not be able to take them to a tribunal afterwards, depending on many varied factors - but an employer can fire who they like when they like.

It depends on why they do them? Is it because of health insurance? What does it say in your contract?

Good point about the medical insurance. Although come to think of it, that's a taxable benefit so I pay for it anyway!

I do take the point that most people would be grateful for the medical, and I wish I felt the same way. But there's something incredibly dispiriting about getting the same information every time and nobody ever actually looking at what I'm physically capable of or what my pre-existing conditions are, or how I manage them.

As for being terribly terribly important, that did make me laugh. I am emphatically not a key element in my employer's success, just a very small cog in a gigantic wheel!