I’ve got an interview on Wednesday, my current position is secure but is going to become more effected if the UK has to implement an Italian style lockdown. So I’d like to ask a question about this without sounding to negative.
“In the event of the government insisting people stay at home, how would this effect new employees?”
Is that fair? Statutory sick pay would cause me enough problems being jobless even more.
Firstly - is the job something that might allow you to work from home? If it is, i'd frame my questions around flexibility, not direct sick leave. If it isn't, I'd go with:
Given the current circumstances with respect to Covid 19, what would be my rights and responsibilities as a new employee? In the event of enforced closure, what might be the companies position with respect to my recent employment? Would i be entitled to sick pay similar to any other permanent staff member?
You're leaving one employer to go to another ?
I'd be straight up about it - what are your contingency plans / the risks to the company regarding virageddon and where would my job/group/... fall into those plans ?
Asking a question like this screams "difficult interviewee"
I would not ask. I interview candidates quite often for my company and am impressed by the people that come in positive, and have good experience. Coming in worrying about working from home/sick leave will come across as a bit of a worrier, this will pass in a few weeks.
Rethink your approach.
Asking a question like this screams “difficult interviewee”
Not IMO.
Nothing wrong with asking a perfectly reasonable question about a big potential threat to the OP's livelihood.
I'm assuming it's in an industry that's particularly under threat from the current situation.
Thanks, my current position offers no opportunity to work from home. I’ll keep the question in mind and see how the interview is going.
Nothing wrong with asking a perfectly reasonable question about a big potential threat to the OP’s livelihood.
At the worst you will have to work from home for 2 weeks, or so. The government has guaranteed minimum sick pay for that period. If you can't make it through a few weeks at home then don't move jobs, save the move until a time of less risk. You could ask the question seperately to HR, or once they make you an offer. Be super positive at interview and don't ask this question, get an offer and then ask the questions.
Perfectly valid question about remote working, try that out instead of the other one.
@cha****ng My current position is in large format print, I’m anticipating a slow down as exhibitions are cancelled and people holding off on POS orders. The position I’m applying for is a production assistant at a science company fulfilling their print and mailing.
It's "affected/affect", not "effected/effect". HTH.
Not being picky but you said it's for a job interview..,
this will pass in a few weeks
Oh, yeah. Sorry, I'd forgotten that this was all a trivial storm in a teacup. Carry on
user name says it all... 😉
I'm with scotroutes. The question you're asking is not the right one.
Sure enough the policy might indeed bring about a refresh of employees if all the old ones are told to stay at home and they get no sick pay.
Anyway
Why ask a question which might rule you out of the running? Wait until you're offered the job, then ask any potentially difficult questions. If you don't like the answers you don't have to take the job.
Thanks sgn23 that’s a good point.
Don't ask now. If you get offered the job, then discuss start dates and how the current situation might affect you both. It might be that they offer the job but freeze it for 6 months. During that time, you can carry on with your old employer.
Unfortunately, the wife accepted a job offer about two weeks ago and handed in her notice. She'll be moving from a huge UK based company to a small independent. Timing has the potential to be a bit problematic depending on how things pan out although, so far, so good.
I think anybody who didn't ask what the company's plans were, given the almost inevitable onset of travel/public mingling restrictions was either naive or irresponsible.
You could ask the question seperately to HR, or once they make you an offer. Be super positive at interview and don’t ask this question, get an offer and then ask the questions.
This.
It’s “affected/affect”, not “effected/effect”. HTH.
Also this!
I'd have no problem being asked that. Seems like an entirely valid concern.
I'd rather people were upfront about their concerns generally in interviews, so that I can give them as much information as possible to allow them to make informed decisions.
this will pass in a few weeks.
Quite right, let’s go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all this to blow over.
Quite right, let’s go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all this to blow over.
Sounds good to me...
World Health Organization estimate of global Flu deaths in 2019 = 290,000 to 650,000 deaths.
Corona Virus 2020 = estimated 5,300 global deaths (to date)... extrapolate out as you see fit.
I would probably be less inclined to change jobs at present. No idea about the print industry the OP is in but some sectors are struggling and if lay-offs happen I'd expect last in first out to apply in a lot of cases.
It's not (just) the deaths, coconut - you're right about those being high for flu (England is probably 10-30,000 per year). A bad 'flu season can pretty much seize the NHS and those tend to run at maybe 5000 hosp admissions in a week and really quite low numbers of them end up in critical care
Just Italy's contribution so far to global deaths is heading for 1500, a handful of weeks into their epidemic - and most of that's in the northern half as yet, 50% of those are just Lombardy)
However, it's the high rate of severe morbidity that's the worst bit (Italy suggesting 20% of cases are hospitalised so around 4000 currently will have hospitalised)
Critical care admission seems to be running at 10% in Italy (so 2000 so far) and takes longer time for each case to resolve, it seems
Luckily 'flu numbers are down currently (end of season and all that) otherwise we'd be properly ****ed
Regardless, and back to the topic: If I was interviewing someone who seemed not to have considered this issue I'd be wondering what sort of nob they were. Similarly, if I asked a potential employer what their plan was and they said "it'll be fine - it's just the 'flu but a bit less serious" I'd know what sort of nob they were and wonder just how poorly run the company was.
