Should I explain a medical issue when accepting a job offer?
August 3, 2015 10:57 AM Subscribe
I have a job offer to start in New York in September. I am in California, and had knee surgery last week. How much of this should I discuss with the employer when accepting the job?
I got a job offer in New York to start in September, without a specific date agreed upon yet. I am planning to accept, with a goal to start the last week in September. I also had outpatient knee surgery last week, with a plan to be up and about in about one month. If all goes according to plan, this should be fine, in terms of moving to New York in mid-September. They are looking to get an answer from me today or tomorrow about the offer. If it matters, it's a liberal non-profit.
I saw my doctor for the one week post-op visit and started physical therapy today. In theory, my knee recovery won't impact my job plans.
Should I discuss this when I accept the offer? Should I explain why I want to wait until as late in September as possible to start because it will give my knee more time to heal?
It is better to be fully open and give lots of detail about my circumstances, offer only a minor description of what is happening, or not mention any personal circumstances at all when discussing a potential start date?
On the one hand, if anything goes off plan with my knee, I think it might be good to have checked in with them about it in advance. On the other hand, I haven't started yet, and they haven't even accepted my acceptance yet, so I don't know if I should spring news that I had surgery on them, and I'm still in need of recovery to where I could begin working.
Thanks for any advice.
I got a job offer in New York to start in September, without a specific date agreed upon yet. I am planning to accept, with a goal to start the last week in September. I also had outpatient knee surgery last week, with a plan to be up and about in about one month. If all goes according to plan, this should be fine, in terms of moving to New York in mid-September. They are looking to get an answer from me today or tomorrow about the offer. If it matters, it's a liberal non-profit.
I saw my doctor for the one week post-op visit and started physical therapy today. In theory, my knee recovery won't impact my job plans.
Should I discuss this when I accept the offer? Should I explain why I want to wait until as late in September as possible to start because it will give my knee more time to heal?
It is better to be fully open and give lots of detail about my circumstances, offer only a minor description of what is happening, or not mention any personal circumstances at all when discussing a potential start date?
On the one hand, if anything goes off plan with my knee, I think it might be good to have checked in with them about it in advance. On the other hand, I haven't started yet, and they haven't even accepted my acceptance yet, so I don't know if I should spring news that I had surgery on them, and I'm still in need of recovery to where I could begin working.
Thanks for any advice.
Are you accepting their offer without further negotiation? If so, then tell them about the surgery when you accept the offer, with details about how your recovery should go and is currently going (answer Nerd of the North's question, basically). They're highly unlikely to want to risk a suit by withdrawing a job offer based on a temporary condition that will probably not affect you long-term.
posted by Etrigan at 11:10 AM on August 3, 2015
posted by Etrigan at 11:10 AM on August 3, 2015
Response by poster: Will the knee injury affect your ability to perform your job duties?
If my knee heals according to plan, then it won't impact my ability to perform my job duties.
posted by crocodiletsunami at 11:11 AM on August 3, 2015
If my knee heals according to plan, then it won't impact my ability to perform my job duties.
posted by crocodiletsunami at 11:11 AM on August 3, 2015
If my knee heals according to plan, then it won't impact my ability to perform my job duties.
No need to mention it then. Figure out a start date, and if you need accommodation later, you can figure it out.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:21 AM on August 3, 2015 [4 favorites]
No need to mention it then. Figure out a start date, and if you need accommodation later, you can figure it out.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:21 AM on August 3, 2015 [4 favorites]
Knee surgery is a one-off sort of thing that I don't think will raise concerns about your ongoing health, so I don't think it would be a big deal to mention it if you need to. There are certain medical matters I would say need to be kept to yourself, but this isn't one of them, in my opinion.
That said, it sounds like at this point you don't need to say anything. Set your start date your comfortable with. A lot more goes into a start date -- cash flow, moving, etc. so I would think about all those things and assume you're going to fall within the odds and recover just fine.
posted by AppleTurnover at 12:07 PM on August 3, 2015
That said, it sounds like at this point you don't need to say anything. Set your start date your comfortable with. A lot more goes into a start date -- cash flow, moving, etc. so I would think about all those things and assume you're going to fall within the odds and recover just fine.
posted by AppleTurnover at 12:07 PM on August 3, 2015
If you are not asking for any particular accommodations around this, do not mention it.
posted by jasper411 at 12:29 PM on August 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by jasper411 at 12:29 PM on August 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
Do not mention it. Period.
When you show up and go through employee orientation, IF it is still an issue for some reason, at that time, disclose as required by law on the appropriate papers requiring such disclosure. Otherwise, it is a personal matter and not their business.
posted by Michele in California at 1:06 PM on August 3, 2015
When you show up and go through employee orientation, IF it is still an issue for some reason, at that time, disclose as required by law on the appropriate papers requiring such disclosure. Otherwise, it is a personal matter and not their business.
posted by Michele in California at 1:06 PM on August 3, 2015
I'll tell you my slightly similar story.
I just accepted a job two weeks ago and tomorrow is my official first day. Prior to this, I didn't work a formal job for a year and a half due to a series of injuries (back, neck, and shoulder) and im currently still a chronic pain patient and in treatment with PT and an osteopath.
The reason I didn't work for so long was, of course, because of these injuries. I didn't even want to attempt becoming employed as a liability. A few weeks ago I became so fed up with not working and found a job rather fast despite having such a long employment gap. On the application I said that I had a "prior disability" but it was still necessary to tell them about it during my interview, so I did. I told them that that's why I didn't work for so long and then lied and told them it's currently 100% resolved. Somehow, I got the job.
I'll be working as a bank teller standing up for 10 hours a day which will sure as shit make my condition worse.
For your situation, it's likely nothing to worry about. As others have said, if it won't affect your working ability then it won't become an issue. Ask your physical therapist when it'll be healed up enough and then tell the employer you'll start a week after that. An important bit if advice to you is to keep doing your physical therapy for the next few months so you have a less likely risk of re-injuring it. Also, the people I know who've gotten knee surgery has been followed by back injury, so make sure that doesn't happen.
Good luck!
posted by omgkinky at 3:18 PM on August 3, 2015
I just accepted a job two weeks ago and tomorrow is my official first day. Prior to this, I didn't work a formal job for a year and a half due to a series of injuries (back, neck, and shoulder) and im currently still a chronic pain patient and in treatment with PT and an osteopath.
The reason I didn't work for so long was, of course, because of these injuries. I didn't even want to attempt becoming employed as a liability. A few weeks ago I became so fed up with not working and found a job rather fast despite having such a long employment gap. On the application I said that I had a "prior disability" but it was still necessary to tell them about it during my interview, so I did. I told them that that's why I didn't work for so long and then lied and told them it's currently 100% resolved. Somehow, I got the job.
I'll be working as a bank teller standing up for 10 hours a day which will sure as shit make my condition worse.
For your situation, it's likely nothing to worry about. As others have said, if it won't affect your working ability then it won't become an issue. Ask your physical therapist when it'll be healed up enough and then tell the employer you'll start a week after that. An important bit if advice to you is to keep doing your physical therapy for the next few months so you have a less likely risk of re-injuring it. Also, the people I know who've gotten knee surgery has been followed by back injury, so make sure that doesn't happen.
Good luck!
posted by omgkinky at 3:18 PM on August 3, 2015
If my knee heals according to plan, then it won't impact my ability to perform my job duties.
Then they have no need to know, and it's none of their business.
If it starts to affect your ability to work, that's when you need to tell them.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:38 PM on August 3, 2015
Then they have no need to know, and it's none of their business.
If it starts to affect your ability to work, that's when you need to tell them.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:38 PM on August 3, 2015
The one reason you might need/want to tell them is if the start date of the new job is not as late as you think. Everyone thinks you can just declare a start date and the company just accepts it, but that's not always true. If they need you to start work before your physical therapy is finished, then you might want to disclose your treatment plan in order to convince them that you do actually need a few weeks longer.
posted by CathyG at 11:27 AM on August 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by CathyG at 11:27 AM on August 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I accepted the offer and suggested a start date at the end of September, which would work best with my physical therapy plans.
They responded, and asked me to start in mid-September.
I think this means that I need to explain the issue with my knee and why I would prefer the later start date and to make sure that I can work something out with them.
Any thoughts on how to handle that conversation?
posted by crocodiletsunami at 1:59 PM on August 4, 2015
They responded, and asked me to start in mid-September.
I think this means that I need to explain the issue with my knee and why I would prefer the later start date and to make sure that I can work something out with them.
Any thoughts on how to handle that conversation?
posted by crocodiletsunami at 1:59 PM on August 4, 2015
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posted by Nerd of the North at 11:05 AM on August 3, 2015 [1 favorite]