occupational health check and job offer withdrawn

[tiredmummy34]

Advice anyone? I got offered a job recently but I got news today that they had withdrawn the offer because of my sickness record. I had 3 months off in 2011 for PND (which they say they are not interested in) and 43 days over 5 years for, well, the germ warfare your kids inflict on you when they are young. No discussion, request for GPs records, nothing, just withdrawn. A university as well, where you might expect better things. I spoke to Occy Health on the phone and explained the situation. I'm very upset, but also wondering whether they are just a mum unfriendly employer.

Honestly LuluJakey1 why celebrate working 12+ hours a day and suggest that everyone should be working harder, longer...what a lovely vision that is, particularly for our children. Nothing to do with productivity by the way. There is a big confusion I'd say between presenteeism and productivity.

Thanks again CabbagePatchCheryl. Actually there are many aspects of my job that I love, but management are incredibly bullying at the moment (to everyone) and I feel a lot of bad faith for students who I feel are being sold short.

Ok - I get your point now, the trouble was in your first post you just said it was sickness due to germ warfare from young kids and it gave the impression that was the explanation you'd given them and you were epecting them to accept that. The point still stands though that assuming there were other equally good candidates for the role you would be at a disadvantage compared to someone who doesn't have high levels of absence - as an employer they'll be wondering about how they'll train you up, how will they cover a high level of absence etc.

I'm not an employment lawyer/HR person but I don't follow on what grounds you think it's an equalty issue. I've read your link and that's about career progression and perception of working mothers not about levels of sick leave. As far as I'm aware there's no provision in law to accommodate parents catching bugs off their kids, that number of days sick in any employee would ring alarm bells, it's just not a 'mum' issue.

Sounds like they've dodged a bullet. Your attitude, let alone your absence record, is terrible.

Well, maybe option 1 in my post is best for the time being? Hopefully you'll figure out what is making you poorly , take steps to improve it and then stick it out in your job. Tell yourself each month you manage without time off is a month closer to getting away from bullying management. You never know, things might improve in the meantime but if they don't, you'll have the freedom to walk away with your head held high. You have to look after no.1 in the work environment - sadly, an employer doesn't give a crap about your wellbeing till it affects their bottom line.

FoxyHarlow123, I just have a different opinion from you, which you pejoratively describe as terrible. Time to stop this thread now I think.

I am a very Mum friendly employer over 50% of my staff are mums who work part-time on flexible contracts. However I would find that level of sickness difficult to cope with due to the unpredictability of sickness.
You say two thirds of it has been this year has there been a one of specfic illness that contributed to it that in future job applications you could be up front about.

I have employed a member of staff whose sickness numbers alone look awful, however, she highlighted this at interview and explained she had had breast cancer had surgery and chemo. She went on to explain that she had been given the all clear and apart from yearly check ups was unlikely to need any further treatment. Needless to say she was an excellent candidate and I choose to employ her.
I suspect it doesn't fall under the equalities act as they would treat a man who had the same level of sickness the same.
As an observation if it is just stuff you have contracted from the kids it seems an excessively high amount (I take immunosuppressive drugs so if DD even gets a sniffly I am knocked out) perhaps an underlying cause should be looked for?

That's an enormous amount of time to have had off and would put most employers off. They want somebody who will turn up most days.

I've worked with children and have my own, even exposed to all those germs, I've had about three days sickness off in years.

I. am not celebrating working 12+ hours a day. It is just a fact. Lots of people do it, it is what their job demands. You were complaining about working 70 hour weeks.

You need to get over what has happened and work at improving your sickness absence record so you can move on. That is the only way round it. The other alternative is to leave if you don't like your working conditions and you think the stress is making you ill - look for something less stressful and demanding. No one makes you do the job. However, if you take the salary an employer has a right to expect you to be there every working day.

OP when you say you "explained the situation" what exactly did you say? What condition/s have you been off sick with? That's an awful lot if there is no underlying condition or similar.

OP you have my sympathy. After returning from maternity leave I also came down with 101 bugs, sickness etc. I then had problems with depression and back problems, so my record wasn't great. My employers were not very sympathetic either, making my life a misery.

I ended up leaving. I don't know if my next employer checked sick absences but if they did they never mentioned it to me. I've had about 3 days off sick in the new place in 2 years, so I really think the stress of the workplace was taking its toll.

In your case it sounds like in the area of work you're in, they are more likely to check unfortunately. You have several options:
1 - keep applying for roles and find a way of explaining your sick record that will appear more acceptable
2 - stick at the job and try to improve your sickness record (easier said than done I know)
3 - go to your gp and chat about things. It could be that you're run down and more prone to sickness etc and it would be good to get that investigated.

It's a horrible situation to be in, but you have to work out a coping strategy for now and the medium term.

Good luck

I don't get this 'my employers weren't very sympathetic'.

Why should they be? Someone returns from maternity leave - which they are legally entitled to but which causes issues for many employers. The employee then develops a significant sickness absence record- picking up lots of bugs, suffering depression , a bad back or whatever. Why should an employer be sympathetic? They employ and pay staff to do a job. Someone who is off a lot with a whole series of health problems cannot do their job. I know it sounds harsh but it is true and employees find it very hard to see it from an employer's point of view but employers are not charities.

I think they are more sympathetic to someone who is never off and then has a significant illness that results in a long term absence from which the member of staff is keen to return. The ' days here and there that add up to significant absence and a continuing pattern' people are perceived as dodgers, malingerers and unreliable- not just by employers but by other colleagues who end up covering for them.

Yep, that's the problem - people expect employers to act like human beings (e.g. recognising that people are different - some are more susceptible to illness, have mental health issues etc) but they aren't human beings, they are businesses.

Was the most liberating moment when I realised my relationship with my employer was a business transaction and that I had to look after my own interests and wellbeing because they never would. Resigned, got healthy, never looked back.