Pre-Employment Medical? Forget It!

There are time when you just know you made the right decision.

I got personal validation for one of my decisions today. I'd turned down a permanent job offer due to my discomfort over the partial contract details I'd been sent by email. That and the fact it had taken the company 3 weeks to send me a formal offer after the initial verbal confirmation suggested that there was something I wasn't being told about the job.

I got further confirmation today, when I received the actual hard copy, including the medical questionnaire. Not only did HR want my mother's maiden name (?!), but the medical questionnaire wanted to know whether, in the last 5 years, I'd had one of a number of debilitating conditions, not to mention kidney problems, STIs, cystitis or piles! They wanted full details of any eyesight or mobility issues, plus whether my relatives had diabetes or glaucoma (amongst other, more serious conditions).  And that's before I was expected to tell all about my potential tendency to be a Type A workaholic, my mental health or my possible HIV status.

I'm not kidding, the questionnaire ran to 12 pages.

Now, I've no idea who this company's clients are, but this is the most invasive set of pre-employment checks I've ever been asked to consent to, bar none.

It doesn't bode well for anybody working for the company, if your career with them starts off with the understanding that you've given them permission to perform ongoing checks on your suitability to stay employed by them during your career, of the same depth as the pre-screening checks.

I didn't have to do anything except refuse to accept the job offer. I know I can do better for myself than this. You don't get asked to fill in 12 pages on your medical history by Kleeneze. You get told that your income depends on the effort you put into both your business and your personal development. You get told that you're in control of your own life.

I love this business. Kleeneze works!