Will my job offer be withdrawn?

[Alice558]

Hi Guys,

I am just looking for some advice really....

I was recently offered a HCA job in the NHS and i previously left my old workplace due to bullying. I was off sick for 2 months and i have declared this in my occupational health questionnaire.

Now, I left back in October, and i was in the fortunate position to leave as I had savings, enough where i could not sign on the dole. I provided 2 references for the past 3 years from my two previous jobs, however because i was unemployed from October to now they are asking me for a reference in that space. So they want one from October to January (when i was offered the job). I have explained to them I have no social circle and i know no one, i mean NO ONE (of high standing). I have asked my dentist, optician and teacher and doctor and they have all refused to give a job reference.

I have been explaining this for about a month now to them but i feel like i am going around in circles and i just want to know where i stand, does it seem likely they will withdraw the offer?

Thank you
Alice

But she’s not entitled to JSA.
One of my DDs was in a similar position -not entitled to JSA.

Have you actually spoken to anyone in recruitment on the phone? You only mention email in your replies. Things could be getting lost in translation. Previously unemployed people get jobs all the time in the NHS, we employed someone who was a SAHM for 10 years, last week to our NHS department. It's bizarre that they would request a professional reference form a time you were unemployed so I'm wondering if they are misinterpreting.

Because it’s new style JSA. You only have to take “reasonable steps towards looking for work” and what these steps are can be adjusted based on your health. If Op said she is unwell and needs a couple months before starting a job and so will be looking for jobs in the new year, then she could have done that. Especially if she isn’t claiming any benefits like UC. If you are just on new style JSA and living off savings, they treat you very differently.

Jesus christ no wonder there is a recruitment crisis! So much bureaucracy there must be so many people who give up before they've even started. I remember being interested in a civil service job back in the day and when I read the whole application/interview/offer process couldn't be bothered to even start which is a shame as the job sounded right up my street.
What a load of nonsense- can you speak to someone on the phone about it as clearly emailing is an issue.

They don’t want a professional reference now. They will accept a personal reference from someone who is “of good standing” from a list of jobs, but from a professional work email address.

The thing is they are extremely unlikely to check once they’ve had a reply - as it just ticks their box if requiring a reference for this few months (exactly how many employers recheck references years later?) - which as everyone has pointed out is utterly ridiculous. If you are going to lose the job anyway because you can’t fulfill their ludicrous requirements - what have you got to lose? Nothing.

But it says you need to have paid enough NI contributions etc. My DD was entitled to nothing too.

You don’t know that as she’s not applied. My DH was when he was constructively dismissed via bullying due to whistleblowing which made him suicidal. He was eligible for new style JSA, claimed it and the Job Centre work coach knew all about how the crisis psychiatric team was recommending he be eased along towards going back to work in a few months.

See here on the Gov webpage
”You and your work coach will agree what goes in your Claimant Commitment. This could include:

what you need to do to look for work - for example registering with recruitment agencies, writing a CV
how many hours you need to spend looking for work each week
What you agree to do will depend on things like:

your health
your responsibilities at home
how much help you need to get work or increase your income”
www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-jobseekers-allowance

The agreement is adjusted to account for any short term health issues/crises.

Yes you do need to have worked a few years in order to be eligible, but again, the OP is more likely to be eligible than not as she’s said she’s left a job. Very few posters on here would have worked less than 3yrs their entire lives.

I'm not clear what sort of reference they are asking for.
Character reference from someone you know in a certain profession?
Someone who needs to vouch for what you were doing during that period of time?
If the teacher or doctor one will be sufficient I would pursue those. Maybe contact the practice manager and explain. In what context do you know a teacher? Through you children? Who in the school did you contact?

Do you literally have no acquaintances with a professional qualification?

I see that, but your DH might have paid enough NI contributions to make him entitled to support. That’s not the case for everyone.

OP has held a FT job for the past 3yrs according to her first post, this means she is/was eligible for new style JSA. I don’t know how many weeks of it she would be entitled to, but it would not be zero.

This is absolutely ridiculous!

I’m the only one out of my family and friends with a ‘professional’ job so I get all of the passport requests etc. which I don’t mind.

It drives me mad. I hate that some job roles are considered to have more reliable/trustworthy people do them than other jobs.

I would be totally honest with them.

Try your GP, a local Church or community group you might go to for a reference maybe?

Frankly they are being ridiculous.

They can do a DBS check for criminal convictions and you have provided them with work references. That should be more than enough.

I would just keep repeating what you have already told them.

Yes, you’re right. It’s definitely best to apply. I know quite a few people who are completely “off grid”.

GP has refused. Church will refuse too if you don’t attend, I assume. What could they say? “I have known x for five minutes and she seems a decent person”?

The computer program being run by the recruitment consultants (high end investment banking) advised the bank not to employ him as their searches had shown worrying gaps in his employment history.

I know a contractor in a similar position who didn't get the job as he'd quoted his previous contract as ending 31 December 2016 (say) and the agency had listed it as 1 January 2017. It was impossible to resolve in a reasonable timescale so he didn't get the job. (I wonder if it was the same set of consultants.)

Bearing in mind the cases we hear about of actual doctors who have faked their degrees and are completely unqualified to practice, or those who leave in disgrace at one trust only to turn up at another, it seems depressing that the NHS are so nitpicking about this.

I’d gather anything I had to show that I was alive and in the country (bank statements showing rent/mortgage coming out, utility bills etc) and bring it to my local MP.

If they were satisfied that the gap in employment was legit (and why wouldn’t they?), I’d ask them to provide the letter in question.

My MP has been helpful in the past, so it’s worth a shot. Good luck, it’s a bonkers system.

Op won’t have rent or utility bills, though -she lives with her parents.

I think the MP a a worth a shot.

Even a mobile phone bill, car insurance or tax direct debit would show the same thing.

Have you tried phoning to talk to someone senior rather than trying to sort this out through emails?

I work in the NHS & so their job application process is all I've ever known. Few things to ask/raise:

1. They usually insist the manager in your last role is a referee & this is merely to provide the dates you worked there so is not a character reference (I understand relationships could be fractured due to the bullying you mention)

1. Have you tried to call them to discuss? This would be my advice, to clarify why they need what they need as only a work reference can account for a period of time - nothing else makes sense?

1. Do all your dates match up? For example your final date with last employment to the gap dates? As A referee could have stated different ones so more clarity or proof is required

I suppose, but they don’t prove anything to do with her character, or that she wasn’t out of the country or in jail or living the life as a drug dealer/grower.