New job asking for absences and reasons over last two years

[Keepyourdistancing]

I was offered a job with the council last week after I was successful in the interview.
All my references came back ok.

Today I was sent an email with a set of questions asking reasons for any absences in the past 2 years, the amount and the number of occasions.

I am completely stumped. I was on maternity leave for one of the last two years, then when I returned I had a one year old who was constantly sick due to bugs at his nursery (he’d only just started there, so picked up everything). I then inevitably caught it too (D+V usually) so had to be off too.

I don’t have a record of these absences , so I have no idea what to write on the form.

Can anyone help?

I thought these were only long term reasons (so maybe mention the mat leave but not the other absences)

Just put maternity leave for one year. And approx x days absence for other year. You can scale it down a bit. I can't see them checking up but they might if your current employer flagged up attendance issues on your reference. Not even sure if they are allowed to do that these days.

They can’t get confirmation from your previous employer, breach of sensitive personal data under GDPR.

Put what you remember, and what you want to put down.

I have the same question though its worded as sickness. So I won't be including any days I took off to look after my children as that is not recorded as sickness. I didn't know how many days so asked HR and they told me. Is there someone you can ask in your current role before you leave?

Yeah, I doubt they need a record of every time you had to take a few days off for a bug. I would put down the mat leave and any periods of longer sickness/absence (like a month or longer) but you can double check with them what they are asking for. They probably just want to know if you need to be assessed by Occupational Health.

I would not classify maternity leave as "absence".

Are you a member of any sort of union, OP? I think I would really resist answering this sort of question, it's an invasion of privacy.

If I got asked this, to answer honestly I would have to disclose 3 periods where I took a few days off each time due to having complicated miscarriages, not something I should have to disclose.

I would also have had to disclose a time off taking medical appointments for a very complicated pregnancy.

I'm normally quite pro honesty with employers but the more I think about this one, the more I can't see at all what good reason they need this.

I'd be tempted to write a conversation stopper that was not a lie, but was designed to block further discussion, eg

"I have historically had medical absences relating to gastro-intestinal issues, now recovered. I do not keep records of days absent but would estimate days absent at under 10 per annum. I prefer not to discuss my medical history in further detail."

This is very standard in my profession - and no, it's not a breach of GDPR to request it from your previous employer Maternity leave counts as full time employment - so no need to mention it.

Absence means just means sick leave and it is a totally normal question. If you phone them they will clarify this. Last minute AL/carers leave/unpaid leave are not something they will be wanting.

It might be standard in your profession but I'm pretty sure my professional body & the main union where I work would have a field day if I was forced to disclose absence I've had to take due to miscarriages.

They may be able to ask the number of days but for her to give the reasons is essentially asking her to share her medical history, I'm not sure she can be asked that.

This is standard! How are so many people surprised.. And to the poor pp who had miscarriages, they're pregnancy related and so as far as I am aware are exempt.
But it's totally normal to ask for a record of recent sickness absence from a previous employer. Otherwise what's to stop someone who is undergoing capability proceedings for absence from just getting another job before dismissal?

I had this question when I last changed jobs, I had no idea so asked hr at job i was leaving and they refused to disclose the information to me and said they do not disclose this to prospective employers either as a matter of policy. It was a nice get out for me. Try asking hr at your current employer, if they wont disclose then it's up to you what, if anything, you want to say.

Is it for an occupational health medical form? They might just want to check if you need adjustments if so. I work for the council and the OH person rang me up to ask what I needed to manage with a health condition.

Yes it's normal, no it isn't a beach of GDPR. As long as they dont ask until after the post has been offered to you, of course they can ask about sickness.

I think they can ask how many days absence for illness yes, but I dont think they can insist on specifics of your medical history. I think the most you could be made to say might be whether the absence was for long term/chronic illness or a short term isolated event.

And to the poor pp who had miscarriages, they're pregnancy related and so as far as I am aware are exempt

I'm sorry for your losses.

If it were me I'd check what you have to disclose (acas? Union?) and then just say x days. And AFAIK they're not allowed to ask for details?