Does having several sick days affect you getting a new job?

[mumznet]

So, recently been signed off work for 2 weeks. My main concern is the number of sick days in the year, so mine are 7 days. one bout of upset stomach and the other for migraine. I am looking for a new job, so wondering if I do continue to stay off the next 2 weeks, would that appear as a negative when I go for a new job? Thanks

Any new employer would ask for your last 12 month absence record, so yes it could have an effect.

Yes

thanks @JustBkind so how many bouts of sickness, or how many days is too many? sometimes certain things can happen which are out of our control, so just wondering. is 10-20 days sick per year seen as a problem to employ someone?

Yes I’m afraid it would.

The average across my staff is probably one day off sick every two years. I’m probably about the same, ten days off in twenty years.

So yes, from my perspective 2-4 weeks per year is an absolutely massive amount.

Huge amount yes

I've been off since January for a big cancer operation so I guess I'm screwed

thanks @NotKevinTurvey that's a really good record. I am currently still under 2 weeks - trying to stay under 10 days. glad to get the advice on here.

Not necessarily - my current employer (civil service) did not ask this

I was under the impression that potential employers couldn't ask for that info pre-employment because it's disability discrimination?

'An employer cannot ask an applicant about sickness absence in previous jobs until
the applicant has been offered a job. This is because a disabled person who has
to take more time off sick than someone else could claim that the employer was
discriminating against them because of something arising from their disability,
which could be unlawful.
However, an employer can ask about sick absences once the offer of a job has
been made. If the applicant’s sick records show that they have been off sick
because of a disability, the employer can ask for more information, including
medical evidence (e.g. are they going to be off sick in the near future because of
their disability and if so, for how long)? Depending on the answers and the nature
of the job, the employer may be able to withdraw the job offer.'

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/825152/Questions_about_disability_and_health_after_a_job_offer_has_been_made.pdf

This thread has me worrying. I had an immaculate sickness record for 5 years until I got COVID last year and had 2 weeks off work - would that really affect me getting a new job now? Surely they must look at the circumstances etc?

I work for the NHS and this data is something that we ask for on a reference return. Unless a disability or diagnosed illness ect then 10 days per year is a lot (covid is not included in this currently)

Where I work, yes.

I line manage a team and if anyone is off 3x in a year or over a certain number of days it triggers the review process.

I am old enough (51) to remember when there was a culture of entitlement about sick leave - people thought having a week a year was only right!

Now it's absolutely not ok. I can't think of a member of my team of 9 that has been off sick in the last year.

I’m genuinely curious if this is something that can be shared these days?
would it not go against gdpr or something like that?
any HR bods know?

Anyone can get sick. Two bouts of a bad virus in one year shouldn’t alarm anyone, but ten days plus per year over several years (without an underlying cause to explain it) doesn’t look good.

I’d absolutely look at the circumstances. One or two big events is neither here nor there. Fifteen Mondays off per year for five years would be a different matter.

thanks all. @NotKevinTurvey do people actually do that, take mostly monday's off sick?

mine are genuine, first time round it had a doctors note signed off sick, second was self certified for 3 days

Yes, people faking sickness tend to do it more often on Mondays and Fridays than chance alone would predict.

Not every reference asks for it. Also does depend on why. If a member of staff had been off sick with a big operation say and I was asked to provide a reference then I would probably not just note the number in the reference I would comment “Sarah had two months off with kidney transplantand we were thrilled when she returned to work and is a valued, effective member of the team who I am sure would also be an asset in any new employment.” I would obviously discuss exactly what I disclosed ahead of time with the person. Most of the time people are keen for an explanation to be given because it’s seen as being more trustworthy coming from the employer. As a general rule I never write surprise references, my staff would always know what I’ve said about them.

I'm amazed at people saying no more than 3 days off a year.

I'm immunosuppressed (long term) and have way more than that. It's never been an issue with any job I've had.

I've had two lots for covid within the last year, one after my vaccine and another 2 for insomnia.

Nobody wants us getting sued because of work I completed after 48 hours without sleep or while feverish from Covid. Sickness is a part of life.

@TheWayoftheLeaf I think maybe people are referring to 3 episodes of sickness, instead of 3 days? becasue by the 4th episode that is usually a trigger point when attendance starts being monitored.

I agree with you that as long it is an illness that has been diagnosed and it can be explained then it souldn't effect getting a new job.

What would happen in the real world, if sickness absence looked like it was a concern, is the prospective employer would ask you about it.

They've already decided you're the best person for the job. If you've had lots of of odd days off with stomach bugs etc, that's vastly different to if, say, you had 12 weeks off recovering from a major op.

I'd never share absence records. If I did, as sensitive personal data, I'd absolutely need consent to do so. I don't know what it would achieve other than a load of ill feeling and hassle.

We do our own due diligence with occ health checks on starting. I wouldn't rely on the word of a former employer.

Op, I'd be less worried than people on here are telling you to be.

Our employer's policy is to ask once the offer has been made and yes, of course, the candidate's consent is requested, we won't get the information without it, but refusing isn't going to look good..