Disclosing mental health to employer

[maxxis]

In the past I disclosed to an employer who I really trusted that I had been diagnosed with a mental health condition.
About two months later I was retrenched "for a different reason". I don't think this was coincidence but I could never prove it.

For the rest of career I refused to disclose anything but at the same time I was never asked so it all worked out.

This morning I received a notification that the company group life cover scheme requires me to complete a new underwriting consent form, medical report, etc. Part of this covers diagnosis for mental health.

I'm worried that in disclosing this to the group scheme will result in my employer finding out and then the stigma rears its ugly head again. The provider of the scheme already has my condition listed on PMB and chronic medication through their medical aid offering so not disclosing it on the forms is not an option. It will come back and bite me in the ass.

How do I even begin to approach this? I really don't want my employer to find out.

 

[jezzad]

What mental health disorder do you have? I went through a batch of depression and anxiety and disclosed this to my employer. Any decent human being will be understanding tolerant and give you the opportunity to find help and help yourself.

 

[maxxis]

Just reactive depression. My last so-called episode was in 2015 when I had a slight breakdown due to a culmination of events including my divorce. Since then I've experienced what I would consider normal episodes of grief with the death of both my parents, retrenchment etc.

I've never been hospitalised or even bound to my bed because of this.

 

[|tera|]

I'm Bipolar and have disclosed it at the interview of every job I've had.

I've been retrenched once as well after a suicide attempt and 4 weeks in hospital.
I also felt it was due to that, but could never prove it.

I still suggest being upfront and honest about it.

 

[maxxis]

I'm Bipolar and have disclosed it at the interview of every job I've had.

I've been retrenched once as well after a suicide attempt and 4 weeks in hospital.
I also felt it was due to that, but could never prove it.

I still suggest being upfront and honest about it.

I'm really sorry to hear that. People are scared of what they don't understand.

I've been declined life insurance cover because of being misdiagnosed with bipolar 2 earlier in my life. I feel that the psychiatrist was definitely wrong with her approach to diagnosing me and too quick to slap the badge on without testing me properly. I wonder how many people will classify as bipolar when they are tested during a very testing time in their lives.

I'm currently not even on an anti-depressant, just a very mild mood stabiliser. I wish that people will take all the factors into account when they decide on how to treat you as a human being.

 

[|tera|]

I'm really sorry to hear that. People are scared of what they don't understand.

I've been declined life insurance cover because of being misdiagnosed with bipolar 2 earlier in my life. I feel that the psychiatrist was definitely wrong with her approach to diagnosing me and too quick to slap the badge on without testing me properly. I wonder how many people will classify as bipolar when they are tested during a very testing time in their lives.

I'm currently not even on an anti-depressant, just a very mild mood stabiliser. I wish that people will take all the factors into account when they decide on how to treat you as a human being.

I agree with you completely.

I suggeet you speak to HR or Management. Have a sit down and explain your situation. Including that you aren't medicated and doing fine.
Just be honest.

Honesty has always saved me.

 

[ToxicBunny]

In the past I disclosed to an employer who I really trusted that I had been diagnosed with a mental health condition.
About two months later I was retrenched "for a different reason". I don't think this was coincidence but I could never prove it.

For the rest of career I refused to disclose anything but at the same time I was never asked so it all worked out.

This morning I received a notification that the company group life cover scheme requires me to complete a new underwriting consent form, medical report, etc. Part of this covers diagnosis for mental health.

I'm worried that in disclosing this to the group scheme will result in my employer finding out and then the stigma rears its ugly head again. The provider of the scheme already has my condition listed on PMB and chronic medication through their medical aid offering so not disclosing it on the forms is not an option. It will come back and bite me in the ass.

How do I even begin to approach this? I really don't want my employer to find out.

So in theory, disclosing it to your life cover scheme should not be visible to your employer at all. That level of information share should not be in place.
But you say that the PMB and Chronic med stuff is already on your medical scheme so if they do have that level of information share, then your employer already knows about it and they haven't done anything negative to you about it so I wouldn't really be totally concerned.

The other question would be whether you think your current employer is the type to be vindictive and hold such a thing against you?

 

[Brenden_E]

I'm Bipolar and have disclosed it at the interview of every job I've had.

I've been retrenched once as well after a suicide attempt and 4 weeks in hospital.
I also felt it was due to that, but could never prove it.

I still suggest being upfront and honest about it.

Is it illegal to fire someone for this?
If not I would probably fire you to for the sake of the other employees. Someone that tried to kill themselves is capable of literally anything. Who knows what happens if another employee rubs that person the wrong way what might go down.

 

[|tera|]

Is it illegal to fire someone for this?
If not I would probably fire you to for the sake of the other employees. Someone that tried to kill themselves is capable of literally anything. Who knows what happens if another employee rubs that person the wrong way what might go down.

Yes it is illegal.
Your assumptions are off base.
I'm not an aggressive arrogant cnt.
I worked there for 10 years.
Life happens and my illness is real.

 

[R13...]

Your group life can't legally disclose your medical info to your employer. I'd not hide it from life cover as that can have your claim refused when they find out.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Is it illegal to fire someone for this?
If not I would probably fire you to for the sake of the other employees. Someone that tried to kill themselves is capable of literally anything. Who knows what happens if another employee rubs that person the wrong way what might go down.

Its totally illegal to do it because of that, but employers will always find a way to make such a move legally though... break down of trust/or some other reason.. its not difficult.

As for firing someone who has had a suicide attempt because you feel they are capable of literally anything is way off the mark for what the vast majority of suicidal people are going through. They are generally not externally violent or prone to those sorts of out bursts just because they are suicidal.

*EDIT*
Think this needs a bit of expansion to possibly dispel some misunderstandings or incomprehension's about suicidal thoughts (at least from my own point of view)

Very many people have them and will never admit to them. Many people never follow through with their thoughts purely due to the impact it will have on those around them for a variety of reasons. So for a good chunk of suicidal people there is an inordinate amount of "care" about those around them actually.

 

[Brenden_E]

Yes it is illegal.
Your assumptions are off base.
I'm not an aggressive arrogant cnt.
I worked there for 10 years.
Life happens and my illness is real.

Quite the well-balanced dog you are.
With your blinkers, you only considered one scenario. Suicide-chan has an argument with employee A, gets upset, and then succeeds to off themselves this time.

Employee A scarred for life and likely all co-workers traumatized.

 

[now05ster]

So in theory, disclosing it to your life cover scheme should not be visible to your employer at all. That level of information share should not be in place.
But you say that the PMB and Chronic med stuff is already on your medical scheme so if they do have that level of information share, then your employer already knows about it and they haven't done anything negative to you about it so I wouldn't really be totally concerned.

The other question would be whether you think your current employer is the type to be vindictive and hold such a thing against you?

Agree with many points made here.

Assume OP is going to send the form back directly to the insurer and not via hr? (That's what I would do).

As far as I know (and happy to be corrected) your employer cannot determine which conditions you have from your life insurance owing to confidentiality laws.

That is the case from a medical aid perspective (unless special written consent has been given by OP to the medical aid).

It really depends on the employer and now supportive they are. Theoretically if you are booked off sick then the more they know about your illness the more support they can give you.

That said, my position on this matter has evolved over the years and unfortunately the stigmatization of those with mental illness is all too common. I wouldn't tell my employer if I could help it.

 

[Craig_]

Quite the well-balanced dog you are.
With your blinkers, you only considered one scenario. Suicide-chan has an argument with employee A, gets upset, and then succeeds to off themselves this time.

Employee A scarred for life and likely all co-workers traumatized.

He isn't wrong, you're judging someone on something you clearly don't understand. Even a normal mild mannered person can suddenly snap and rip your throat out. Being suicidal doesn't equal being violent.

 

[RedViking]

In the past I disclosed to an employer who I really trusted that I had been diagnosed with a mental health condition.
About two months later I was retrenched "for a different reason". I don't think this was coincidence but I could never prove it.

For the rest of career I refused to disclose anything but at the same time I was never asked so it all worked out.

This morning I received a notification that the company group life cover scheme requires me to complete a new underwriting consent form, medical report, etc. Part of this covers diagnosis for mental health.

I'm worried that in disclosing this to the group scheme will result in my employer finding out and then the stigma rears its ugly head again. The provider of the scheme already has my condition listed on PMB and chronic medication through their medical aid offering so not disclosing it on the forms is not an option. It will come back and bite me in the ass.

How do I even begin to approach this? I really don't want my employer to find out.

I would join a union of sorts and also seek legal advise so you know what they can or cannot do. Unless the mental condition effect your work, I doubt they are allowed to do anything.

 

[maxxis]

So in theory, disclosing it to your life cover scheme should not be visible to your employer at all. That level of information share should not be in place.
But you say that the PMB and Chronic med stuff is already on your medical scheme so if they do have that level of information share, then your employer already knows about it and they haven't done anything negative to you about it so I wouldn't really be totally concerned.

The other question would be whether you think your current employer is the type to be vindictive and hold such a thing against you?

I really hope this is the case. I prefer information like this to remain confidential.

I don't believe my employer is vindictive at all but people are people and will always keep something like this in the back of their minds.

 

[Brenden_E]

He isn't wrong, you're judging someone on something you clearly don't understand. Even a normal mild mannered person can suddenly snap and rip your throat out. Being suddenly doesn't equal being violent.

How would you rate your reading comprehension, on a scale of 1-10?

 

[RedViking]

However, having a mental condition and not taking or doing something about it, means you live in denial. Have seen it with a couple of bipolar friends who think they don't need their meds. Unfortunately you can't just give someone a wakeup klap.

 

[Alton Turner Blackwood]

What mental health disorder do you have? I went through a batch of depression and anxiety and disclosed this to my employer. Any decent human being will be understanding tolerant and give you the opportunity to find help and help yourself.

Just to accentuate your point...

I suffer from ADHD and eventually I had to tell my employer since the MD of our company asked me directly if everything is OK since I once sent a mail which was filled with profanities because someone accused me of something which I was neither responsible for, nor was it in my contract. I CC'd the entire top management and was fully willing to accept that I may get dismissed.

So I told him, patience is not my strong point; I laid everything bare.

Yes, I got a written warning, but I deserved it and took it on the chin - it since expired.

He then went to his office and sent a mail to the HR manager in which he expressly stated that he will pay for any form of psychological or psychiatric treatment. Yes, he's paying out of his own pocket since I only have a hospital plan so it's not covered. And these aren't exactly small amounts. It's R3k per one hour session.

The point I'm trying to make is, as you stated, some people are decent human beings, and sometimes, just sometimes, it helps being open to people who pay your salary.

 

[|tera|]

Quite the well-balanced dog you are.
With your blinkers, you only considered one scenario. Suicide-chan has an argument with employee A, gets upset, and then succeeds to off themselves this time.

Employee A scarred for life and likely all co-workers traumatized.

Dog? Fk you cnt.