Can a job offer be withdrawn for this reason?

[User38474]

NC for privacy reasons!

I've just been offered a job that I've accepted and just waiting on my references to come back. I'm worried about one of them and whether my new prospective employer might take issue with part of it.

The issue is that I had a number of weeks signed off last year due to stress caused by work (specifically poor treatment/bullying by people within my department). I returned to work and didn't have another sick day after that. I left the job (on good terms) within the last few weeks.

I assume my new job will be asking for a full/detailed reference from my old one and as such my time off sick will be listed on there. I am happy to explain to my new employer what happened if they ask but does anyone know if they are likely to withdraw the job offer on the basis that I had time off sick for stress? I'm really worried about this as the new job is one I desperately want.

I don’t think anyone here can guess as to how your prospective employer would react to your reference tbh but hopefully it won’t affect your job offer. Good luck.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4711571-to-ask-if-poor-attendance-can-result-in-a-job-offer-being-withdrawn

I would be extremely surprised if sick leave was mentioned in a reference. Nowadays they are just factual i.e. User worked here from 2015-2022 as an office bod.

My workplace has a policy on references, we confirm dates employed and roles undertaken, that's all.

Many employers ask for chapter and verse including absence details and 'would you employ them again'. Those questions aren't answered under our policy.

Thank you for responses.

If it helps my old job was in local government, I honestly don't know what their policies are on this though. I got offered another job on the basis of my reference from there but obviously I don't know what kind of information they asked for on that or what was supplied back.

It's just so frustrating. I'm a good employee who got treated like shit and I'm going to be really upset if someone bullying me results in me not being able to take up a job I really want!

Yes it can. It would be unusual, but it can.

We ask for absence details. Some employers provide it, some don't. When a problem is flagged we'll have a discussion with the candidate about it. If the explanation is inadequate or there is a feeling that it's unlikely to have improved, the offer can be withdrawn, unless the absence is disability related.