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Ask HN: Should I give my employer all my medical records?

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Re: Ask HN: Should I give my employer all my medical records?

#81
post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your link doesn't say "give your employer all your medical records", it says "if you take medical leave you need a certificate from a doctor". There's no obligation to prove you have no medical problems at all, if the employer has a compelling interest (ex. if OP is an airline pilot and they can't have a seizure disorder) they should provide a specific list of disqualifying conditions. There's no job where ADHD is go…

KEY POINTS: Where employers have concerns regarding the impact of an employee’s health on safety in the workplace, or there is uncertainty regarding adjustments required or the employee’s capacity to fulfil the inherent requirements of the job, employers can request employees to consent to obtaining further information from a treating practitioner – under threat of dismissal if necessary. Can employers require additi…

>Employers have a non-delegable duty of care for the safety of anyone affected by their business operations

Software, he works on software, not explosives, nuclear plants or dangerous machines.

Workplace safety won't fly for this request.

Re: Ask HN: Should I give my employer all my medical records?

#82

Astounding. I can't think of a situation where this kind of intrusion is ethically acceptable. It were me, I'd question (with a lawyer) what their intent is. Why would a reputable employer stick their neck out like this? Sounds desperate, but maybe I've been reading too much fiction lately. Document everything, try to keep the situation at work coasting along while you speak to a competent lawyer. I'm not Australian…

If his card is disabled to get into the building, I don't think they would be able to build a case that he 'stopped showing up'.

Fair. I kind of assumed there was some leeway not explained in the posting. As long as there's a written record of the employer making all work inaccessible.

Re: Ask HN: Should I give my employer all my medical records?

#83
post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

KEY POINTS: Where employers have concerns regarding the impact of an employee’s health on safety in the workplace, or there is uncertainty regarding adjustments required or the employee’s capacity to fulfil the inherent requirements of the job, employers can request employees to consent to obtaining further information from a treating practitioner – under threat of dismissal if necessary. Can employers require additi…

>Employers have a non-delegable duty of care for the safety of anyone affected by their business operations Software, he works on software, not explosives, nuclear plants or dangerous machines. Workplace safety won't fly for this request.

I dont like it anymore than the next person, but these are the games we have to play.

can and will make shit like this fly, every time. There is obviously something more going on that OP didn't add, relations between employee and employer have clearly broken down if they are locked out of the office till they sign the document.

If you are taking off a lot of time as a result of a condition, having performance issues related to a condition etc. then clearly this is the way things are going to play out, irrespecitve of where you work or what you do. Australian employment laws allow it, and employer is going to use it ss an easy way to move on a worker.

It doest make it right, but being an asshole isnt enough, you have to actually be breaking the law to be doing something illegal.

Re: Ask HN: Should I give my employer all my medical records?

#85

I am also a software developer in Australia (NSW). I was 'headhunted' (in the loose sense) for a role and they booked me in for a "pre-employment medical check". I assumed it would be something like: medical professional is briefed on my typical duties; medical professional assesses my abilities to perform these duties; medical professional then makes a recommendation to the employer. However on arriving and being pr…

"All of our workers here at ACME corp were happy about annual anal probing to ensure they are all fit to work here, you should feel privileged to be able refuse ACME anal probing." Thats some grim future we are heading with this. And that software dev field, one of most competitive fields for finding personnel. As soft dev you are in position of power and yet people put up with this stupid shit. Good on you for telli…

No employer has ever given me the feeling that my software dev skills put me in a position of power. Quite the opposite. Every place I have ever worked at has acted as if

1) My skills are unimportant (except when they want overtime. Then, no noe else could possibly do the wonderful job I can!); 2) I am easily replaced (maybe by much cheaper contractors) and 3) My salary requirements are ridiculous. Only the top executives are worth that kind of money!

When I turn down an offer or even an interview over something ridiculous (What do you mean I need to sign an NDA just to be interviewed? Hell no!) they act as if I'm the unreasonable one. Somehow this never changes my mind.

Re: Ask HN: Should I give my employer all my medical records?

#89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"All of our workers here at ACME corp were happy about annual anal probing to ensure they are all fit to work here, you should feel privileged to be able refuse ACME anal probing." Thats some grim future we are heading with this. And that software dev field, one of most competitive fields for finding personnel. As soft dev you are in position of power and yet people put up with this stupid shit. Good on you for telli…

No employer has ever given me the feeling that my software dev skills put me in a position of power. Quite the opposite. Every place I have ever worked at has acted as if 1) My skills are unimportant (except when they want overtime. Then, no noe else could possibly do the wonderful job I can!); 2) I am easily replaced (maybe by much cheaper contractors) and 3) My salary requirements are ridiculous. Only the top execu…

Keep looking, friend. Respectful places _do_ exist!

Re: Ask HN: Should I give my employer all my medical records?

#90

I am also a software developer in Australia (NSW). I was 'headhunted' (in the loose sense) for a role and they booked me in for a "pre-employment medical check". I assumed it would be something like: medical professional is briefed on my typical duties; medical professional assesses my abilities to perform these duties; medical professional then makes a recommendation to the employer. However on arriving and being pr…

"All of our workers here at ACME corp were happy about annual anal probing to ensure they are all fit to work here, you should feel privileged to be able refuse ACME anal probing." Thats some grim future we are heading with this. And that software dev field, one of most competitive fields for finding personnel. As soft dev you are in position of power and yet people put up with this stupid shit. Good on you for telli…

I dunno about now about back when I was in Australia (about 10 years ago), over there swe felt a very under appreciated role. One company's non compete was so eggregious it forbade even ludicrous scenarios like "after leaving us thou shall not work with another ex-employee (who did not overlap in tenure with yours) even in an unrelated field (say pig farming) for atleast 9 months". Wtf!
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