Do I disclose?

[EE1980]

Hi

I've been offered a job. Really fought to get it and this one doesn't come up often if ever.

Pre-employment health assessment. Questionnaire is from an independent occupational health company.

Questions state "have you ever been treated for" and list includes many ailments including (in one tick box) "depression, nervous breakdown, anxiety".

So more than 10 years I had depression and a drink problem. Didn't receive treatment for drink. Received antidepressants. Not drank for 10 years or been on tablets for about 6 years (and that was following giving birth). I don't suffer depression or anxiety or been to doctors in 6 years.

I want to be honest because I know if they find out you lied it will be dismissal. Same time - if am honest and occupational health ask to see medical records they'll look bad in black and white and this info could be passed to HR Manager who'll either decide to withdraw the conditional offer or look at me differently.

I know lots of people suffer from depression. It's a desk based job so no adjustments needed and I haven't had depression for years.

I would prefer not to disclose this.

Any advice please?

Disclose - OH picks up on box ticked "depression anxiety and breakdown and either telephones me to discuss further or requests my medical records. I say yes - record looks awful. I say no consent - well speaks for itself. Report mentioning depression and possibly alcohol passed to HR.

Mention nothing in questionnaire and therefore nothing for OH to pick up on or a need to request my medical records. Report is drafted for HR which says I'm fit for work.

I understand non disclosure only becomes an issue if later on in work I suffer depression and need time off and they find out I previously suffered depression and isn't disclose it.

Ok you understand the risk if you don't disclose, and that is up to you.

Just to give you the other side of the coin:
I did disclose and had to visit occupational health. They saw that I was fine, fit and able to do the job, so as far as they were concerned, that was the end of it. Many of my colleagues know, I have told them, and they couldn't give a fig, and many of them themselves are on anti ds (or have been). It's very, very common.

I just say I was on tablets but haven't been for x amount of time, and haven't felt affected by depression for x amount of time either.

Is it a big employer? Depression is so massively common I can't believe a large employer is going to care. 6 years in the clear is pretty compelling in my mind.

It would just be lovely if people like us who have suffered mental illness had the same level of anxiety about disclosing illness as someone who has recovered from cancer!

You don't have to disclose it but if there is a box on the form asking for your consent to get access to your medical records via your GP, you should make sure you don't give that consent. Otherwise they will find out regardless.

Definitely not the drink problem, they will find a way to use that against you. Not sure about the depression, someone in HR would advise.
Well done for battling everything by the way

It’s unlikely they will care

I disclosed similar issues and it was no issue at all. Occupational health just wanted to speak to me and ensure I was fit to do the job. If I were you I’d be honest on the paperwork. This was a high level public sector job

Personally disclose the depression, I think that is very unlikely to be held against you. If you have no medical record of the drink problem I would probably not mention it.

Thanks for all the responses. I'm just concerned if I tick the "anxiety,
Depression, mental breakdown" box they'll ask to see my medical record which will then show the alcohol issue and will open up a can of worms.

There is a tick box for alcohol issues but as I didn't get treatment for it content not to tick the box.

It's public sector job.

I wouldn’t disclose it. Sadly mental health discrimination is still alive and well. I wouldn’t want to be judged on my past before I had had a chance to prove myself.

You’d be silly not to disclose.

What if you have a jobsworth in admin that ask to see your medical records to check the validity of your health questionnaire?

Unlikely but possible...and a refusal to release your medical records, whilst your right, will look dodgy AF at any point in future.

The alcohol issue is mentioned on my record when I got anti depressants.

When I gave birth a few years back I looked at my midwifery file and medical history section looked horrendous - depression, history of drink - so it's all there.

I previously had a public sector job in 2010 and didn't disclose anything - Nothing happened. I was younger more naive. Now I'm older and more aware.

I don't mind disclosing the depression so much but don't want a whole can of worms opened re. alcohol

So that means disclosing the "alcohol/drug problem" again it's one tick box

If I had a "spent" conviction I wouldn't have to disclose it (quite rightly). I can't believe I'm going to be judged on my health 6-10 years ago.

I wish the questionnaire had even been framed to say "have you in the last 3 years"

Ps health questionnaire asks for name of my doctor and address but no statement about consent to contact doctor or copy of medical records.

So I'm thinking that if they ask for doctors name at some point they may feel need to contact them ie if disclose depression. But no specific consent statement.

Sorry for long post just worried. Interview process was long and challenging. You get over one hurdle and think you're on the final straight then there's pre-employment questionnaire to get through.

Even if I'm held to be "fit for work" I don't necessarily want my colleagues (who have been part of recruitment process) who will get OH report to know I had depression and/or alcohol issues. Their view of me will no doubt be altered.

Sorry!

Definitely don’t lie - as you say, it’s such a small thing in your life currently, why would you put your job on the line?

I filled in a pre employment questionnaire for my current job (which I’ve just started), and I put down that I suffer from depression and anxiety - and am currently on medication. The result was a phone call from the company, just to check in about how I feel in myself, about the impact of not taking pills (ie everything just because very very difficult, like living life through treacle). They established I had no intentions to come off any time soon, but wanted to in the next year or so - so they were confident I wouldn’t jeopardise my health by changing at the very start of the job.

The clearance came within 12 hours of that call - along with the health insurance it affords.

Hope that helps. I don’t think it’s worth the lie.

Thanks DeusEx

Oh and do you need to reveal alcoholism?

Also, only your manager should see the report. Data protection means if certainly shouldn’t go to just generally your colleagues. You could check that first? In my case, it just went to HR - didn’t even go to my line manager.

No problem! I hummed and ha-ed too - it is really hard when you think it will be used against you. Good luck whatever you decide x

deusex - I'll be advising HR and others as part of my job so even them knowing and seeing the report makes me feel really uncomfortable. They'll look at me and say "she's an alcoholic" or "is she drunk today"

Another one for saying tick the box.

Far more trouble and probable instant dismissal if it's found out you lied. That will follow you all over every time you are asked for a reference.

Many people function well or more with depression and being treated or in the past. The odds are if the interviewer has not had it they will know someone who has so odds are it won't be an issue.

Balance therefore.... especially if it's a dream job and rare opportunity you have nothing to loose.

Go for it... you don't want to think for the rest of your life.... I never even tried.

Disclose it but you can always say it was down to the unexpected death of a close relative x

I work in HR. Tick the box. No one will judge you for it. You’ll get an OH call; they’ll clear you. No one will bat an eye lid. I speak as a senior HR NHS & public sector professional.

Thanks all - really appreciate your help.

It was a tough interview and I've waited 9 years for this job. Feel like I should be celebrating but can't as this has potential to mean the job will be withdrawn or people I work will view me in a skewed way if I disclose but I know I have to.

Feel like telling my kids to never disclose mental health issues at doctor as you won't get life insurance, critical illness insurance, travel insurance will be more expensive and you could get job offers withdrawn. I wouldn't advise of this obviously but you think (or I did when I sought help) I was doing the right thing and I didn't think of the ramifications of telling my doctor. I hear about friends only going private for help with addiction issues and it didn't register at the time that they were doing this to avoid it going on their medical record