New job offer - How do I disclose?

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Hi everyone  this is my first post -  my name is David , I'm 48 , and i am living in Dublin facing a huge dilemma and could do with some advice.

I was diagnosed about a year ago , not long after I found myself out of work - long story but I was on a lucrative fixed term contract abroad , and my employer chose not to renew for non related reasons ...I had been experiencing early signs prior to this, but not so much that it was effecting my ability to do the job - although i had become conscious of a mild tremor in my hand and occasional fatigue , i put this down to just a bit of stress and general lack of fitness, poor lifestyle etc  However , once diagnosed i must confess it knocked me for 6 , and i spent several months in a horrible place feeling sorry for myself and draining the last of my cash reserves - to make things worse I've just been though a marriage separation and the financial pressures are now chronic. 

Fast forward six months or so , I've managed to pick myself up , get fitter and healthier , and by and large the meds i am on are doing their thing and I'm getting on with it .  Great , i hear you say !

After several months of looking for work ,  I've just been offered a senior job with a house hold name global IT company in a senior business development / sales role - SUBJECT TO MEDICAL !  The process involved several interviews and a final presentation to their senior management team against stiff competition. All of this I obviously managed to excel in , because they're offering me this job!  Without doubt the position requires me to operate in a stressful environment , but that said , i am confident i can do this job well .....for the foreseeable future.  In an ideal world I'd take a less stressful , less paid job, but for now I desperately need the earning power of this job.

Following advice I have gotten over the last several months from people in the business, and my own conclusions following long deliberation , i am definitely going to be proactive and disclose the Parkinsons up front before the medical , and take my chances.  My hope is that they will take the view that I have successfully managed to sell myself to them , so i can sell their services to their customers. 

I guess my question is , do any of you guys know what legal obligations they have (or do not have ) in terms of their ability to withdraw the offer ? My guess is that the "subject to Medical" covers them , so now my dilemma is one of whether Parkinson's is on the black list of a typical global corporation ? Other advice I have been given is that if they are reluctant to offer me an employment contract (as they may see me as a problem down the line)  , that maybe I should suggest a "fixed term" contract, say yearly , ie let them try and buy .....if I am not performing down the line they can simply decide not to renew .........

I guess i am rambling a bit now , but i hope you get the gist of my challenge - i really need this job badly so any advice / information/ experience would be most welcome ?

Regards

David

 

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Hi David

Congratulations on your new job , i fully empathise with you ,i had my diagnosis in August this year at 47 yrs old , it has taken me a few months  to come to terms with having PD for the rest of my life , but i think i am more or less there and more willing and able to accept it i did spend a lot of time feeling sorry for myself and worrying about the future  , now if i am having a bad today i just tell myself tomorrow is another day

I am sorry i cannot help with advice regarding your job offer , but personally  i think  it would be worth trying the fixed term contract if they are reluctant to offer  anything else  , you have already impressed enough to be offered the job so nothing ventured nothing gained

 

Good luck i hope everything works out for you

 

 

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David

 

Here is a link you may find helpful , you may find some useful information in it  and you could also try calling the Parkinson's UK helpline  some one there may be able to help you

http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/download/english/b103_employmentandparkinsons.pdf

 

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The job's in Dublin? Be aware that some employment law may be different from that in the UK

S

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Hi Doddie,

I'm no legal eagle and my jobs were not in your realm. Mine were in heavy engineering.

I went for a job as a fitter/welder in a quarry. I have half my left hand missing. The guy interviewing me said it must be a disadvantage. I told him I could cope and would work any hours 24/7. He said he'd take a chance on me and gave me a 3 month trial period. 4 years later the quarry closed down. I left just before redundancy. I didn't want a penny out of them. I earned a lot of money and respected the manager for employing me for 4 years. In my book it's a two way thing. These days too many people want a pay out. This makes firms wary.

Surely if you can do the job and you are not likely to drop down dead in front of the office staff ( or frighten the works cat) the disclosure of Parkinson's should prove your honesty and integrity.

I would be telling them I'll do a good job and if the day comes when I find I can't, I'll leave with no fuss. Everyone is scared of being sued these days. Sign a disclaimer if you have to and say you will not hold them responsible.

These are the thoughts of a working class man. If the firm you applied to are as honest as most decent working class people I have met during my life they will accept your explanation. They must want someone with your skill and probably just want to know you will not be off work every 5 minutes. If you can guarantee them that what's the problem?

On the flip side, I worked for another firm where one employee had not disclosed a criminal record. They found out and sacked him. The boss told him if he had declared it on his application he would still have had a job. Honesty is the best policy.

Good luck......Orphy

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Shelly , Semele & Orphy , thanks so much for your thoughts and feedback ...... the links and legal views are very useful and give me hope that they will take the will take a common sense view , and hire me on my ability to do a job for them now and for the foreseeable future - I absolutely plan to disclose it up front and have no intention of using a legal stick to beat them , now or in the future, so Orphy , your idea of me offering to sign a disclaimer of some sorts to give them the assurance they need  is something I may use if required. Watch this space !

I guess I'm beginning to come to terms with this damned disease , like most people on here I get my good days and bad , but I'm convinced that a good attitude, daily exercise and meds , sprinkled with a bit of " you ever know what's around the corner" all goes a long way !

Nice to have found this forum

Best wishes to you

David

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Good luck David.

I once saw a factory owner on TV who had employed a young disadvantaged man ( if memory serves he was dyslexic), when asked if he ever had cause to regret the decision, he said emphatically.....

'NO! he tries much harder than any cocky university graduate would'. He went on to say the young man was now in a managerial position.

From my own experiences I can honestly say all some of us need is the chance to prove our selves.

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Sorry David this blank page appeared from nowhere and I can't find a way of deleting it

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I have reported the fault, which initially was a duplicate copy of my original message. It appeared twice. I could delete the text while there was Editing time, but not the blank page it left. Oh the joys of technology. Just when you think you are master of it, it decides to let you know who's boss.

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The law is different in ireland. But generally in line with eu directives

I hope they can see past. The parkinsons

but I have that t shirt.  And it scares most companies to employ someone with parky

I hope they are progressive but In truth most employers will not take a chance the stats of disabled employment do not make good reading

But if you do not disclose then you leave. Yourself open to instant dismissal 

rock and hard place come to mind.

contact the people in link below. they are experts in this and I found them supportive and helpful

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/equality_in_work/equality_in_the_workplace.html

http://www.equality.ie/Files/Guide-to-the-Employment-Equality-Acts-1998-2008.pdf

Best of luck I hope it works out

P

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David 

one more phone number parkinsons.ie

HELPLINE 1 800 359 359

 

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Thanks Pmac, the links and info are most appreciated .....i will give these guys a call in the morning .....i guess , from a first look , the legislation seems more heavily weighted in terms of when one is in a job, rather than applying ...... also they seem to have  an out for "certain types of employment" ....... for example i expect an employer looking to employ a scaffolder would not be reasonably expected to employ a parky !  They may argue in my case , that Sales comes under that heading as I would be face to face with their clients who might feel uneasy ....... my hope is that because  I went through a rigorous interviewing process , including stand up presentations and they were none the wiser and wanted to by "me" from me :-) , maybe they will still take a chance....... as i said , they've offered me the job, subject to medical.  Maybe the "disclaimer" option discussed earlier might give them the assurance they need ....... anyway, i guess what will be will be ...i plan to disclose one way or the other later in the week .....watch this space !

Cheers !

David

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well guys, would you believe it went very well this week !

got the official offer on Wednesday (subject to medical) . decided to bite the bullet and called the manager and agreed to meet him as i had something i wanted to discuss.

Met him for a coffee - and threw it straight out , ie " before we go any further i want to let you know i have recently been diagnosed with early stages parkinsons "

my jaw dropped when he replied .....

" i suspected that David from the first interview .... its your right side isn't it ? ....yeah , i could see you were protecting it .....I shared this with the HR manager who was in that meeting and we both agreed its was not an issue for us .... i believe you can do the job , and as far as XYZ company is concerned we want to hire you - and we do not discriminate. You still have to go through the formal medical , to have an independent doctor certify that they believe you are " fit to do the job"  ......." I'm not a doctor but personally I cant see any reason why the doctor shouldn't certify you as ok !  "  

We spent the next half hour talking about what we plan to do once i come on board !

The medical is set for Thursday and , whilst i am not counting my chickens, Im far more hopeful and upbeat !

Assuming all goes well i will start the following week , calmed also in the knowledge that i have nothing to hide and that my employer is supporting me !   Corporate giants aint all bad eh ?

Watch this space , and thanks again for all your support !

David

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Congratulations David. The manger is obviously a decent human being. Hope all goes well for the future.

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you too orphy !big grin

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You are a "lucky" guy  my experience was somewhat different 

I hope it goes well for you

All the best

p