Background checks in recruitment: absences and health assessments

Employers are increasingly likely to conduct background checks on potential recruits; this research-based report investigates assessments and screening of a medical nature, notably in respect of candidates’ absence histories, health and fitness.

On this page:
Overview of findings 
Obtaining and using absence data on candidates
      The business rationale for obtaining absence data
      Employers that obtain absence records report a positive business impact
      Few employers object to using absence records during recruitment
      Absence data are usually obtained in the latter stages of recruitment
      HR staff are heavily involved in assessing candidates’ absence records
      Few candidates are rejected because of their absence records
Obtaining and using medical information on candidates
      Employers that undertake medical assessments usually cover all their recruits
      Most employers ask if job applicants have a disability
      The business rationale for pre-employment health assessments
      Employers mainly have pragmatic objections to medical assessments
      Initial medical information is usually obtained from candidates' forms
      Most employers obtain medical information at job-offer stage
      Candidates’ forms are usually assessed by occupational health advisers
      The role of occupational health advisers and data protection considerations
      Individuals’ medical details are seldom the reason for refusing to hire them
      Employers believe pre-employment medical checks offer several benefits
      Occupational health profession questions the value of these checks
      The cost of conducting pre-employment medical checks varies significantly
      Testing candidates for substance abuse
Our research  
Table 1: The reasons why employers obtain information about candidates’ absence records
Table 2: The reasons why employers undertake medical assessments of job candidates
Table 3: The impact of using individuals’ medical conditions and histories
Additional resources on XpertHR.