Pre-employment Health Questionnaire

[abigleaptotake]

I'm really unsure which way I shall treat this.

I found all the questions really really intrusive. Medical records should be a really private matter for obvious reasons. I'd feel so vulnerable to disclose them to anyone outside my GP or hospital.

Yet, I'm obliged to fill in each question with honesty without an option to say I don't want to disclose.

I saw other posts for the similar topic, the common advice is to be honest and see this as a way to assess my suitability to the role. But the form is not even from a 3rd party contractor. It's from an internal email whose owner will be in the same workplace as me. Can I really trust they don't gossip to others?

I have ADHD too and the form requires a declaration of any psychiatric disorder. I need to disclose any medication that I take too. I just feel really uncomfortable.

I'm aware that I'm supposed to be honest. But this is a very unfair position to be. And I truly don't want to disclose. But do I have any other choice?

What's the job? If you are going to be a bus driver it probably matters that you disclose all health/ medication information. If you're working in an office then it probably matters you tell them you have whatever condition IF you will need adjustments or time off because of it.

The problem is that I don't get the option to opt out from giving information. I can't leave them blank without filling in. I don't think my mild ADHD is relevant to the job or the polyps growth removed from my uterus will affect my ability to work.

I will have to be lying if I don't disclose.

Adhd isn't a psychiatric disorder

Is it screening/risk assessment for the job or for medical insurance as part of the benefits package?

There must be an option to put NA as what if you dont have any?

That said, it would be truly unprofessional for them to 'gossip' or use the info for anything other than intended.

ADHD is a neurological disorder/neurodevelopmental disorder

Not psychiatric

You don't have to disclose anything

Thanks. I've been googling a few times this afternoon with psychiatric or psychological as key words. It's rather unclear. But the few examples they cited in the form didn't include ADHD. I will just put a no.

I completely agree with you that asking these kinds of questions from employees, or potential employees is very intrusive. It is also potentially a breach of data protection law (and I say this as a data protection lawyer). Data protection law says that personal data should only be gathered where there is a good reason for doing so, and even then you should only gather the least amount necessary, and ensure it is protected. There are even more stringent requirements fur health data, which (broadly) can only be gathered where required by law, or with consent. In the workplace, the law recognises that there is an imbalance of power between employees and employers, and so consent is not always freely given.

When my current employer asked for access to my medical records I said 'absolutely not. This is a breach of data protection law', and they said 'oh yes, oops, old paperwork etc.'

In your case I would suggest asking them why they need this information. As a PP has said, it could be relevant to the type of work you are being asked to do, in which case it is probably justifiable, but you might be able to limit the amount of information you give them to just that which is relevant to the job. But if you are working in an office (or similar) then they are frankly just out of order and need to update their systems.

Most likely not. But if you are aware someone in the company knowing one of your most private weakness, you would certainly feel the uneasiness or even an unbalanced power. And to gamble on an unknown person to keep your secret, I wouldn't if I have the choice.

Spot on.

It's an office role. My problem is that the way these questions were asked is rather a "giving me all" style open question without setting a boundary for relevance.

I need to think about it. But thanks to all. It sounds there's some room for wriggling that I could use.

Some information is highly confidential. I had this for health insurance purposes. I think it's OK not to tell them if you don't think it's relevant. Poor HR dept.

I would say to them, in writing, something like 'I do not feel comfortable sharing this level of information. I am informed that data protection law prohibits employers from asking for this type of information unless it is really necessary to the nature of the role, or there is a legal reason why they need it. Please could you explain the legal basis for requiring this data?'

If it's for health insurance, then fair enough. But it's not. The purpose is to assess suitability for the role.

I don't want to challenge them openly, as it might make my life more difficult to close this if they get confrontational. (The HR in my current company is certainly like that.) So I will try to find the right wordings...

Is this post offer of employment OP?

Unless the person receiving your medical questionnaire is qualified to interpret your answers in relation to the requirements of the role they should not have sight of it. I would have realistically thought only the occupational health provider should see it ... that's normal.oractice.

It's post offer, so it is nothing illegal. But I really think the law should be set so to allow people preserve privacy if it's irrelevant to the role.

I guess the question is that who shall be the judge to that. I agree, a third party who has the right level of expertise shall be the one. But this email sending the form is from an internal account.

I'd be a lot less (or not bothered at all) if it's sent from a contractor.