If you've had depression EK won't hire you!

[crewmeal]

Amazing story from the Daily Fail.

British woman ditched from Emirates Airlines air hostess job 'because she once had depression' | Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2637199/Airline-withdraws-air-hostess-job-offer-British-woman-discovering-suffered-depression.html)

So those of you suffering now had better watch out! Seems there is quite a following on FB

[Capetonian]

I would think that working for that airline and having to spend time in DXB would depress anyone. Someone with a previous history of depression would be more susceptible.

The young lady is better off without the job and hopefully will move on to something better than being a waitress on an airline which makes a substantial amount of its revenue transporting prostitutes and their clients to and from the world's capital of hypocrisy.

[Mr Good Cat]

Well maybe the Cabin Crew application form should have Medical History declarations as part of the initial stages.

Maybe it does? It seems strange that they wouldn't ask that on the primary form.

However, I don't believe the Company in this case are doing anything different than any other airline in the world.

Qantas, British Airways and the like are not obliged to employ crew with issues on their medical history.

I have a Musculoskeletal operation a few years ago which I would have to declare to my next employer... Say, BA decide not to offer me a job based on this no-one would bat an eyelid as it's just the airline weighing up the risk of investing money in me.

I feel sorry for the girl, really... It's just that I don't see any surprises here.

[The Outlaw]

They already have enough cabin crew with the affliction...why hire more from outside?

Capetonian....I could not add anything to that..

[givemewings]

Sorry but there's some embellishment going on here.

EK never disclose the reason for refusal to anyone, the only cases I have ever known where they specify have been when a problem has come up on the medical once in Dubai- never before joining.

The formal and final offer of employment is not made until all medicals are completed- therefore they can not have withdrawn her employment as she never had it- just a tentative yes pending successful passing of aircrew medical. She was not employed at the time she was refused. So nothing was 'revoked'... Many airlines won't hire with a history of depression- primarily because diagnosed cases often require medication which disqualifies you on medical grounds, no tyrant behaviour here, pretty standard to be honest. (And yes Qantas probably wouldn't have hired her, either)

Posters saying this job is not for anyone with a history- very true- why put someone in a proven stressful environment with many many changes, isolation from your support network and make someone extremely vulnerable to a relapse? Cabin crew training is stressful enough, add in to that moving countries and someone with a recent history could be disastrous. (Her case was reportedly in 2012- only 2 years- very recent not 'years without a problem' as the DM asserts)

The woman in question clearly did no research whatsoever prior to applying or she would have known how certain illnesses are viewed in this part of the world (behind other countries but catching up) The medical form does have this- they specifiy during the recruitment process that certain conditions may exclude you from employment. A quick google of aviation medical standards will give some idea of what they might mean

She needs to get out of her UK centric bubble- UK employment law means squat here, probably a good thing she didn't come if that's her 'defence' when things didn't go her way- sorry to sound harsh but she probably wouldn't have lasted the probation. Let's try addressing some real human rights issues shall we, being knocked back for a job isn't one...

[falconeasydriver]

Shock horror probe! the Daily Wail dredges up a young bit of stuff that looks good in a figure hugging little yellow number (draws in the Mail/Male readers) that then most likely plays a little fast and loose with journalistic integrity…a sort of "sexed up" dossier of dross.
Poor lass, probably the first time she's ever been knocked back for anything, usually I bet a little giggle, a flick of the hair and a wiggle of the hips would get her that new pair of Jimmy Choo's.
Can you imagine what the poor so and so who spurns her attention in gonna be in for? hell hath no fury…...

[helen-damnation]

The young lady is better off without the job and hopefully will move on to something better than being a waitress on an airline which makes a substantial amount of its revenue transporting prostitutes and their clients to and from the world's capital of hypocrisy.

As opposed to the centres of finance, tourism, etc etc. :zzz:

[Emma Royds]

A British woman had her dream job as an air hostess snatched away after her would-be employers realised she used to suffer from depression.

I may sound incredibly harsh but hasn't the recruitment process done what it is designed to do?

EK are on a massive recruitment drive for cabin crew at the moment and should one pass the 'face to face' element of the selection, then there would have to be very compelling reasons to dismiss an otherwise satisfactory candidate.

As givemewings has said, it is a tall order for a young person to uproot and move to Dubai and the HR guys and girls are aware of that and know what to look for.

Fact - There will have been many many others before her that have been in the same situation.

[thegypsy]

Saw the chick on TV in UK today and she has had a narrow escape IMHO:{

[givemewings]

I'll actually admit I didn't get the job on the first try (only after a few, in fact) and knowing what I know now the recruiters were damn right to reject me when I first applied. I can see now with hindsight that when I initially applied I was not ready to uproot my life to move overseas and they saw that.

They did me a favour actually, it made me more determined to get the job and I went away and had some good fun working at stuffI enjoyed in the meantime. Got some good life experience under the belt which actually prepared me quite well for what was to come...

I know a few people who have struggled with feeling down at times in Dubai, and they had no history of depression or anything like it before coming, sooo..... I guess EK would be damned if they do and damned if they don't...

imagine the headlines if they had accepted her and then something tragic happened after a relapse. For sure we'd be hearing about how they didn't care, blah blah blah.... They often get slated for lack of caring about staff but in this case it seems they were looking out for her best interest. Just imho of course...

[Anthill]

The airlines sets its standards from criteria that separates who they want from who they don't. Sometimes,an applicant will find that their rejection is unfair. Get over it. Life isn't fair. I rather think that she has not had many 'reject letters' in life. She needs to toughen up a bit and grow from the experience instead of calling the Whaaambulance.

[crewmeal]

It's about to be discussed on the Jeremy Vine show on BBC Radio 2. (27/05/14)

[hifly787]

Funny I thought all Brits are depressed nowadays.

[LouthGirl]

I wonder the same about the Aussies :}

[puff m'call]

What about already being in emirates and depressed, does that count?