Thyroid and job applications

[SJ12345]

Stumbled across this site and I could relate to so many of you, thank you! Question please-Been diagnosed with an under active thyroid for over ten years and Levothyroxine medication has been increased in the last year to 100mg by my GP. I have never disclosed this as a disability at work and try to function as best as possible with the workload. It is the cognitive decline, brain fog, losing words amidst a sentence, depression phases, that is denting my confidence at every interview. My specific question for now is if I can apply for Guaranteed Interview Schemes because I have thyroid or is it not covered because consuming Levothyroxine medication supposedly means that my thyroid levels are being managed or controlled well enough?

[seveneleven]

So there's no big central list of things that qualify you as having a disability - it's really the impact on your life and whether you need adjustments/accommodations at times. If you ask for the guaranteed interview, they're not allowed to ask what your disability is (at any point in the recruitment process, because it's not legal to do so). It's really a personal decision. A thyroid condition in itself isn't a disability - it depends on your experience and the severity and how well it's managed. It sounds like you're not optimally medicated and it's causing problems like the fatigue and brain fog, which are disabling symptoms. You can be on medication, as we know too well, without actually being well.

If you're struggling to do work or apply for/get jobs because of the impact of your condition, then you should feel able to use the scheme. I have before (this is before I knew about my thyroid - I have a connective tissue disorder), and there was no problem. One of those times I did get the job, so it had no bearing. Depending on the employer, the actual person interviewing you may not have any knowledge that you ticked the box. Often it's someone in HR or recruitment who compiles the shortlist based on the criteria, and the interviewer/manager just gets that list of people.

And if you're still feeling rubbish on 100 levo, do get some up-to-date bloods (especially T3 levels), because you shouldn't have to put up with still feeling ill after 10 years on thyroid hormone replacement. You can post your info and any results on the forum and get some advice. Good luck!

[SJ12345 in reply to seveneleven]

Very kind of you, really grateful for such a detailed response. Feel a bit more confident in ticking the box for Guaranteed Interview Scheme. This is for a role in the Civil Services and I wasn't certain about the proof they need or level of detail they need. And yes, maybe I do need an updated blood test, thanks again!

[HealthStarDust]

Guaranteed Interview Schemes

Simple answer, yes.

Complicated answer, with a few exceptions disability is not diagnosis lead. Further to that, no one actually checks, because they can’t, if someone is eligible to apply under GIS. Hence, there is a lot of abuse in these schemes as it is. That is not to say they abuse may or may not be justifiable.

There is also a lack of understanding and abuse by employers on the definitions of disability in terms of the scheme to show favouritism when unwarranted. I’m afraid no law is good at eliminating bias.

You still have to meet the essential criteria for a role, and even then, not all employers/hiring managers will objectively apply the rules.

For clarity, if you taking medication/hormone for hypothyroidism you would be defined as disabled within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010. If not, it comes down to demonstrating you disease impacts you disproportionately to someone without the disease.

I would also advise seeing CAB for such matters.

Finally, reading between the lines here, it seems to me you need to better understand reasonable adjustments and gain support in attaining these in any employment and recruitment process.

Hope that helps.