It really did work for me. I had to get it all out in the open because I knew surgery was coming, when the doc called and said I would be done by Christmas and I would get no notice, it made things easier for me. As you know, most people on W/C are painted with the same brush....lazy and want to work the system....that is how a fair amount of employers view us. In honestly, although in my previous job I did try to hire people on W/C with their return to work program, none of them worked out. Legally in Canada, an employer can not ask you any health questions. If you bring it up, they can basically discriminate against you because "YOU" brought it up., and it's very hard to prove. If they ask you questions and you answer, you could have a case. Unless W/C is involved with your return to work, you have absolutley no obligation to tell anyone anything. My boss was really great but let's look at the full story shall we.....
The year before I got this job, they had posted the same job. W/C called them and asked if they would be interested in working with them with someone on W/C. I had applied for the job and didn't even get a call. They had told them they were not interested. When the job was posted the second time months later (their first pick did not work out) I applied and did everything myself and made no mention of injury. They did ask me why I left my previous job, I said I had an opportunity to return to school and did. No lies there. In conversation with my boss and others I worked with I never held anything back. I just started talking about my injury...never using the "w/c" words.....
Then it all came out and by then they were so pleased with my work everything was ok. He asked me why I didn't say anything and I told him the truth. That I really wanted a chance to work and I was getting nowhere being honest and he respected me for it. Basically you better feel the waters first and then gradually start with small stories until it is out.

I hope you make out ok. May be heading to your area soon....I will let you know.

Rach

It's a difficult spot to be in and from what I've read so far, I'm not the only one who tried the honest route and got the "we'll call you" comment.

I worked in HR as well for a year + and if the words injury/medical reasons/w/c came up I was supposed to pass on the applicant. In fact, when my manager told me that my general manager "would not want anything to do with an applicant because she was out on w/c" (she had a cast on her foot) I said " I have an open comp case, does that make me a bad person? " She never commented...long story short, I gave my notice the next day (Friday) and I was termed on Monday.

There are some good suggestions on the previous posts as to how to handle the lapse in employment. Another that was never questioned while interviewing was when someone was in self employment. They Can't verify it because you were your own boss and that goes for back ground checks as well.

Technically, I'm self employed, I sell a couple things on e-bay here and there. So that's how I'll be covering my work history.