Hi I just want some advise,I am looking for a job.I have ms but I don’t have any physical signs.If I disclose I have ms do you think it will put employers off as I might be off sick at any time. any help please
Why do you want to disclose? As a general rule, you don’t have to, and employers are not allowed to ask. It would depend entirely on the employer and why you want to disclose. For example, if the job was with a disability rights organisation, and their ad reads: “personal experience of disability issues preferred”, you’d be mad not to mention it! Also if they run a scheme that guarantees interviews to disabled people. Why miss out on a guaranteed interview? But if there are no obvious advantages to disclosing, then don’t. You don’t list exams failed, or other things that might be offputting, do you? Tina
Yep, I agree. Why warn them of something which might never happen?
I was open about my MS to my present employer. Told her after she offered me the job. Yes know maybe should hve been upfront before offer but did think it shouldn’t make any difference.
I am 99.9% sure she would not have offered the job. The look on her face will stay with me and she had to shut her lower jaw in between the stuttering but… but…buts!!
This same person later put me to serco (off 1st time for 2 week after working for 2 yrs there )The referal said the occupational health folk should contact my gp to see what my prognosis was. Told them to go ahead and if he knew what was going to happen to let me know !!
Could have prob shouted discrimination for this as knew for a fact others who had been off much more than this and had NEVER been refered to Occ Health.
The worst thing was this was in the care sector and Social Work Dept!! You gotta laugh!!
I think it really does depend on the workplace tbh . It shouldn’t make a difference but sadly it does. I work for same place but under a new manager who is great.
I think the only pressure I get is from myself
I honestly don’t know if I would tell next employer(if a next). But if they don’t know they can’t accommodate any needs you have. Sort of catch 22
I think telling an employer when you’re already in the job is slightly different. I opted to do this too, as I wanted the full protection of the law from Day 1, not wait 'til there was some kind of issue or problem, and only THEN cry “But I’m ill!” (looks a bit suspect if you’ve never mentioned it before).
But whatever your decision once actually in the job, I see no reason to make it a feature of your application, although there are cases where I might choose to. This is where it pays to do a bit of research. If you know they have a progressive attitude towards employment of disabled people, it’s not going to harm your case to mention it.
Tina
I was working in job for 12 months and disclosed that I had MS. Within months I was made redundant. If they have to make a bunch of people redundant and you have MS. You are going to go. Of course they never said this. I haven’t told my present employer. They did ask lots of medical questions and I didn’t lie. I was not on medication at the time. I was not under a consultant at the time. I am now of course. I am very, very wary as discrimination should not be there in this day and age but sadly it is - big time.