Mental Health Dilemma

[Avocado46]

I would be very interested to hear from any senior HR people out there.

My re-employment obstacle is that I have 3 year gap in my career (male, 20 years experience). After a move, I was unable to gain new employment and for a variety of reasons have been struggling with moderate depression. It would not prevent me from work, but has definitely made it difficult to look for work. Finally I seem to be ready to move back into work but it is difficult to explain the gap. I am a terrible fibber, so it is hard (and slightly unethical) for me to make up a story, like I have being a primary carer or something.

What I am considering is identifying the depression as the issue, and possibly even stating it as a disability. Although I have had therapy I have not had the need for medication, so in my own opinion I am undecided how much of a "disability" it has been, though the facts do seem to speak for themselves.

So, HR Expert, what I am wondering is what would happen if the during the application process at a big company I ticked the "disability box"? Would it automatically disqualify me? Would it qualify me for an interview? In a smaller company, would it send my CV straight to the bin or would most HR hiring managers hear me out? Is is safe to reveal a mental health issue or is it self-defeating?

Usually applicants with disabilities are positively discriminated against and automatically interviewed.

As to whether you meet the criteria you would need to evidence a physical or mental impairment (depression would be acceptable) that is substantial and long-term effect on their ability to carry out day to day activities (usually interpreted as the condition having lasted or expected to last longer than 12 months and has caused the suffer to seek some sort of medical attention).

I always advise telling the truth because it will weed out the employers you really wouldn't want to work for (if they can't even be bothered to follow basic employment law what are they going to be like to work for?) and protect you from being disciplined or dismissed for being dishonest. Plus you can sleep at night without worrying about being found out.

Thank you for that.

"Usually applicants with disabilities are positively discriminated against and automatically interviewed."

I'm going to have to disagree with that. In some organisations they have a policy of automatically interviewing candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria. I believe some public sector organisations do this for example, and elsewhere as well. But I would in no way describe that practice as 'usual'.

I would advise you tick the box if you genuinely feel it is a disability and has a substantial long term effect on your ability to carry out day to day activities, but only if that's the case.

I have a condition which many would identify as a disability. But because I can lead a normal life and do normal things without requiring anyone but me to make any adjustments, I don't feel disabled and would not and do not identify myself as such. I would prefer to be judged completely on my merits and not discriminated against in a positive or negative way if the condition is not relevant to the job and will have no impact on my ability to do the job.

If you get specifically asked about medical history etc later, that's different.

Yes you are quite right flowery. It should say sometimes. Was rushing a bit

Thanks flowery, perception is at the root of my dilemma. My mental health issues are manageable within an employed context, I don't believe they would have a significant effect on being able to do the job (as I managed to deal with it in the past). But I do believe the recurring depression has been a primary issue in being able to seek employment. And saying so explains the gap. If I dismiss or ignore the mental issue, the implication is that I have been very lazy about getting re-employed, and although I am honest enough to admit a small element of that, depression has been the significant factor. It does seem to be a case of "dammed if I do (admit it) and damned if I don't". And I really wonder what is the solution?

Any reason you can't say 'career break' to explain the gap on the application form or in a cv? Then when/if asked, explain verbally in an interview or whatever that you took some time off work due to a health issue but this issue is not something that will impact your work.

If it's a disability and you want to mark it as such, by all means do, but I don't think it's a situation of either 'I've got a disability' or 'I'm lazy'.