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Original poster

Never heard of this before?

20 replies

TheMuppetMuggle · 25/01/2008 11:05

I've been offered a new job which i have taken, as in the industry i love and know i can progress my career with them.
Anyway, i was honest and said i had at least 30 days off last year with my back (i suffer with back problems) and had sicknote for each occasion. Well they have asked for a letter from my docs confirming i suffer with my back and the dates i was signed off.
Even tho in my reference from previous company said i was off sick with my back.
Is this normal?
I mean they have asked to see my GCSE certificates which no company has ever asked me for before and i struggled to find them as left school 10yrs ago.
Any advice?

OP posts:

Original poster

TheMuppetMuggle · 25/01/2008 11:11

bump?

OP posts:

GetOrfMoiLand · 25/01/2008 11:13

Blimey.

Have never heard of this. And asking for GCSE certificates?? Hope to god that never happens to me, haven't a clue where my GCSE and A Level certs are.

What job is it?

Original poster

TheMuppetMuggle · 25/01/2008 11:15

Insurance Consultant!

Just seems really weird as never happened before, i'm not sure of the dates i was off sick with it, and i'm not sure my doc will put all details in a letter due to confidentiality.

OP posts:

maisiestar · 25/01/2008 11:16

I've had the GCSE certificates thing before and also had to account for pretty much all time not at work, even if it was just a month between jobs - so I wouldn't think this was too odd. They do such detailed background checks in some places - I work in the city and it seems that this is pretty much standard there - eveyrthing has to be verified for all levels of staff. Also a lot of firms use vetting companies - i've had to provide everything for the company forms and then resubmit it all for the vetting company.

Original poster

TheMuppetMuggle · 25/01/2008 11:21

Maisiestar i found my certificates eventually LOL. I just don't understand about the sickness thing, they have details from my previous company. So i don't get why i should have to provide another letter which i my doc won't provide everything they need due to confidentiality.

OP posts:

littlepinkpixie · 25/01/2008 11:32

If you want your Dr to provide a note for this the confidentiality wont be a problem. That is there to protect you, so you can give permission for them to divulge that information if you wish.
It wont be part NHS work though, so the GP will need to be paid separatly for it (you should ask the company to pay!)

flowerybeanbag · 25/01/2008 11:33

Muppet why won't your doctor provide what's needed? Confidentiality is to you, so if you give permission for him to give those details to a potential employer.

It is a bit stringent asking for confirmation, but that's quite a lot of time off, so they are just dotting i's and crossing t's to make sure there are no issues they need to be concerned about.

I think the GCSE certs request is more bizarre tbh, can't imagine for one minute your GCSEs are relevant or important, but some companies do check everything, more to establish your credibility and honesty than because your grades are actually that significant.

flowerybeanbag · 25/01/2008 11:34

Sorry, if you give him permission there is no issue.

And x-post anyway!

Karen999 · 25/01/2008 11:36

I have just been offered a job. They offered me the job subject to pre-employment checks. These were;

1 Access to my medical records
2 Disclosure Check
3 2 references
4 All certificates, including my degree but school certificates
5 Passport

I actually thought I was being offered a job in MI5!!

GetOrfMoiLand · 25/01/2008 11:40

I work for a defence and aerospace company, and I had to have a full government security check before I started work. They offered me the job, the security check had to be completed before I was allowed to start (2 and a half months later). And had to sign the official secrets act as well.

But they still didn't ask for my GCSE certs thankfully!

edam · 25/01/2008 11:40

I suspect MI5 would be a lot more thorough! My BIL is waiting to hear whether he has security clearance for a new IT job working on government contracts - they are doing full security vetting which apparently can take MONTHS to come back. Amazing. (Last time he went through vetting, when he was a soldier applying for a particular post, he was turned down because his mother had been in CND in the 60s... and his parents were originally Italian. Despite his father serving in the British army.).

flowerybeanbag · 25/01/2008 11:43

Not specially relevant but someone DH knows started work at GCHQ. He went through all the induction and everything, was given a security pass, and was told he needed to set a 4-digit pin for it. The person said 'Just for now we have preset it to the same number as your bank pin code'.

So anyone who thinks id-cards are too intrusive, they already know everything about us anyway....

Sorry that's not really preemployment checks but all these stringents security checks reminded me!

Original poster

TheMuppetMuggle · 25/01/2008 12:02

Well i did offer the company my medical records but they declined asking for a letter, so told them what the letter would say (spoke to my doc about it) and he said would need dates of sicknotes, i adv was on stuff from prev employer but need from doc. again i offered my medical records but declined would it just be easier to get a copy of last yrs records?

OP posts:

Karen999 · 25/01/2008 12:04

You are entitled to ask for your own medical records...cant you do this and photocopy the bits that you need??

Original poster

TheMuppetMuggle · 25/01/2008 12:10

good idea Karen i will do that if the letter isn't enough.

Just seems weird as suffered with my back since i was 15, and no employer before has asked for this before!

OP posts:

GetOrfMoiLand · 25/01/2008 12:14

I applied for a job with GCHQ, but withdrew my application because I was told it would be about 5 months before the security clearance would be done. Sod that!

Original poster

TheMuppetMuggle · 25/01/2008 12:16

I'm going on the training course on sunday for 2 weeks. They are happy with everything they just want a letter confirming i was off last yr with back issues, even tho i provided them with a letter i had last yr from my doc confirming this, and the fact i was seeing a physiotherapist to!

OP posts:

Karen999 · 25/01/2008 12:25

They may just want it for their own records. Do they have an Occupational Health dept? They may want to ensure thay they will be providing you with all the correct equipment etc...

Original poster

TheMuppetMuggle · 25/01/2008 12:54

I would imagine so, i'll just wait n see i guess.

OP posts:

RibenaBerry · 25/01/2008 13:57

I agree with Karen. I think that they're trying to cover their backs on health and safety/disability law. They now know that you have a bad back so they want to hear it from the horse's mouth (so to speak) what has been going on. They probably don't want to rely on the stuff from your old employer in case there is extra detail and stuff your old employer has missed (like equipment needs, etc).

Actually sounds fairly sensible to me. Hopefully it means that they'll be helpful on that type of thing.

Re GCSE certificates - you'd be amazed how many people lie...

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