To say she has missed a real opportunity ?

[PinkAndFabulous]

Niece got made redundant recently. Been in the job many years and was devastated. She also has a chronic illness and diagnosed with a second over lockdown but still not being properly treated for it. A job came up in her field which offered ad hoc and zero hours and was very near to her home. Its ideal for her. She wasn't overally enthralled when I sent her the link but did apply. She got asked to fill in an application form by the company meaning she most likely was close to getting the job but was put off by the health declaration especially as she was asked if she had any ongoing health problems. Long story short, she emailed the company to say she didn't think she should take the application further because of her health. Aibu to not know why she did this especially as most companies would have supported her as they should be doing?

What sort of job was it, out of interest?

Some delightful people on this thread

It doesn't matter what YOU think, OP. Only thing which matters is what SHE thinks.

I get it that you care about her, but it's her choice. She knows her health and ability and wants

I just worry it's lack of confidence and letting her illnesses take over.
I don't entirely agree that employers will disregard a potential employee with chronic health issues either. My friends sister has to have infusions every 3 weeks and her employer is fine with it and she has a people facing role.

1. Have you considered that posters may be speaking from their own experience of living with a disability? As opposed to their uncle's cousin's cat's neighbour?
2. Give it a rest with the "letting her illnesses take over" bullshit. It makes you sound clueless and lacking in empathy.

It’s nice you are trying to encourage her.

I’m not sure about the ‘zero hours’ bit?

I know people cracking up with zero hours contracts as they weren’t being offered enough hours to pay the bills. I don’t think I’d want that. Perhaps that’s what put her off? I don’t know how benefits work with such contracts either. She could actually end up worse off with a bunch of online benefits paperwork to boot?

Ok, you know one person who has a decent employer and makes concessions for someone’s illness. Posters here are telling you otherwise. Your niece has experienced otherwise. She might be letting her illness dominate her but that is her reality. She’s just been made redundant, I’m sure she’s considering if her illness had a role in that.

However, taking her illness out of the equation, she still doesn’t have to apply. There could be any number of reasons she didn’t want the job and illness is just the easiest excuse without getting into too much detail. My mum has done this, sent me a job she thinks I’d be interested in because it’s in the same area that I’ve worked previously. But my career is in a different place and I want to take my career in a different direction. She knows I’m unhappy with my job and it’s just the easy answer as I’ve got (what she feels is the right) experience. I wasn’t actually qualified for the job, in addition to wanting to go into a different direction. I think it’s fine to send people jobs as you see them and think that would suit them but you can’t get offended and question their choices if they don’t follow it all the way to the end.

God, leave her alone. She's an adult & she has a chronic illness.She has enough on her plate without a pushy,interfering relative. Interfering isn't helping. She needs support ,which is "what can I do to help" or "I'm here if you need me, just call, doesn't matter what it is or when".

I actually agree with you op: but I don’t think it’s a good idea to insert yourself in the discussion and I don’t think you will be thanked.

OP you are just not listening are you . Please take the following on board :
It's none of your business
Employers can be assholes
Zero hours contracts and ad hoc hours are usually disastrous for people with chronic illnesses
Your neice does not require your input or judgement regarding jobs right now

Back off away from her life OP

Zero hours would give her little income protection if unwell.

Advice on filling out the health declaration is to be honest while using as much non medical and positive language as possible - occy health can ask you for more details if they need it - so something like 'I have x condition which is well managed' . Don't lie because it could be breach of contract which is not good if you need future adjustments.

Things your niece has to deal with :
Redundancy
Benefits
1st chronic illness
2nd chronic illness
Treatment still being sorted out
Interfering relative

Things you can help with :
Don't be the interfering relative

Many companies absolutely do not look after people with illnesses/ health problems etc.
At my old company a fellow colleague was fired due to an anxiety disorder. He was still in probation period so they put it down as unsuitable for the role. I quit a few weeks later as I decided it wasn't somewhere I could work any longer.

Unless you live with her illnesses then you really can't say how much of an impact they should be having on her. I find that really bloody rude actually.

you have NO idea. and you’re lucky to have no idea

If either of her conditions cause pain, give her a break. It's hard work being in pain, and processing new diagnoses. I've passed up on jobs because the application form questions disability and causes me to second guess myself... chronic pain dragons confidence avec you can't imagine being able to function normally. It's complex adjusting to new conditions, and sometimes the thought of having to tell people when you're already struggling with it is too much. Not overly logical, but understandable. I'm struggling to explain it properly I think... on top of that many companies don't touch you with a barge pole, and I wouldn't fill one out if it didn't sordid that it would be sent to hr separately from the application.

@SengaMac

Things your niece has to deal with : Redundancy Benefits 1st chronic illness 2nd chronic illness Treatment still being sorted out Interfering relative

Things you can help with :
Don't be the interfering relative

👏🏻

Please focus on being supportive and not pushing her into what YOU think is right. There's no way an employee on a 0 hours contract would get proper support / reasonable adjustments for chronic illness.

Unless you are a recognised expert in her conditions then your opinions really don't matter. Please just be a supportive aunt. I have 2 chronic illnesses and the right employer, plus a permanent contract with proper employee protection, are crucial.

SengaMac add a pandemic into that mix as well. As if things weren't bad enough for her now Aunt Judge is stepping in

most companies would have supported her as they should be doing

Hahahahhahahha

Couldn’t put this better myself.

Butt out OP. She neither needs nor wants your “help”

I know she's had a tough time and her ex colleague died the other week which doesn't help matters. I still feel she has turned down a good opportunity but like she said, she emailed them and explained why she was not taking the application further. Reason being, she was concerned about the amount of time she would need to take off due to her recent 2nd diagnosis. She said to me if she gets no reply which she is not expecting to, then she has her answer as to how they would have dealt with her health as an employee.
I'm not sure I totally agree but it's her choice. I just felt she would have loved the job and been able to balance that and her health at the same time. But as I said, her choice at the end of the day. Even if I don't understand it.

But as I said, her choice at the end of the day.

I hope you don’t word it like this to her. For people will chronic illness or disability, sometimes things like this are NOT a choice. Not applying for a job because your health isn’t at a level where you could manage the job is NOT a choice.

You sound pushy and over-invested. It’s up to your niece what she decides to do.

@PinkAndFabulous

Of course she can do what she wants but if a job which is-

1. Close to her home
2. Adhoc hours
3. Urgently recruiting

Then I think she is mad not to. I know it's harder for people with chronic illnesses to get work, I started a thread on it recently, but this would have been ideal for her. She does have numerous appointments by phone this year and most likely other tests but I do think this would have been ideal for her. Of course, none of my business, just don't understand it and do feel she is letting her illnesses have too much of an impact when many employers would make adjustments if they could see she was a good candidate.

If you want to be supportive why don't you ask her what she'd like help with. You sound as though you're making a few assumptions.