Lying On Resume To Cover Up Mental Disability

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Would it be morally/ethically permissible for me to deceive potential employers in the following circumstances:

I am preparing to start my job search. I need employment to support myself now, so as to avoid homelessness. I will run out of money in a month or two.

For the last 6 years I was unemployed and did no work because of a serious mental disability (schizophrenia). I am on medication now, and am functioning normally again.

I believe that if I tell potential employers the truth they will quickly eliminate me from consideration. Almost everyone is terrified by and repulsed by mental illness, by “crazy” people.

Admit it: you wouldn’t hire me either if you knew I had been declared mentally disabled for the last 6 years (until just recently).

So here’s my Plan: I have considered claiming that I was self-employed during the last 6 years.

I would claim to have been self-employed in an occupation different from the jobs I will be applying for now. E.g., I will be applying for bookkeeping jobs. But I will claim to have been self-employed as web site designer.

I thought this Plan might be morally/ethically justifiable because:
  1. It is not my fault Society is so prejudiced against persons with a history of mental illness.
  2. I need to avoid homelessness. I could die if I become homeless.
  3. Since I would be claiming to have been self-employed in an occupation different from the jobs I will be applying for now, I will not be falsely claiming to possess skills or experience that are relevant to the jobs I will be applying for.
I realize that there are practical risks involved in lying in this way. But I do not wish to discuss those here. I rather am seeking comments on the MORAL/ETHICAL dimensions of this Plan. I.e., is it wrong to do what I am planning?

Thank you.
 
It is morally wrong to lie. But it is not wrong to avoid giving people information that they have no right to.

I guess we need to find out if employers are entitled to this information first.

If they are not, I would not lie. I would try to find something like “I have been out of the work force for the past 6 years for personal reasons that I do not wish to get into right now…here are my skills and this is why you should hire me”.

Focus on why you would suit their company and what you have to offer them.

I look forward to seeing other replies and you getting the help you need in this matter.

I will say a prayer for you.

Malia
 
Oh, something else I thought of…

are there any programs where you live that help find employment for disabled (mentally or physically) citizens?

I have a physical disabilty with cognitive impairment and there are several non-profit organization in my city that would assist in placing me with an employer who is willing to work with my needs.

Malia
 
Hello Sainthenery,

I agree with Malia,

I have heard that if a past employer goes beyond telling a prospective employer yes or no as to wether you worked for them, they are liable to a law suit. I understand that you have not worked for an employer for six years and you feel this will greatly effect your future employment.

I would not lie. I have always been blessed by following the path of obeying the will of God. What I have found is that one may suffer in the short term by standing firm to ethics and principal, in the long run you will do far better.

If homelessness is what will happen if you do not lie then embrace homelessness. I have actually known some homeless people and their path was surviveable. There is state, Church and individual funding to help the homeless. I have known of employers who actually hired homeless people before they hired those with homes simply to assisst those in need. In this situation the homeless person had the advantage.

I am not suggesting that you intentionally choose homelessness. What I am suggesting is that you not be tempted into sin for fear of homelessness. I am suggesting that remaining loyal to the will of the Father is more important than worrying about where your next meal will be. There are plenty of people in the world without even enough money for internet access, yet God loves these people as much as you with internet access.

I would remain faithfull to God and I would not lie. As Malia states, I would not give out information about myself that I felt would hamper my chances of employment either.
 
You are ‘sane’ now. That is, your condition is stable.

I think you are asking the wrong question. The hidden question behind every job interview is: can the boss trust you? The answer is a resounding, booming, confident ‘yes’! And then two good examples of exactly why.

To give those two good examples, you will have had to research the company first and identify two major problems they are having. You of course are going to have the two major solutions to those problems. No problems. No worries.

As for your ‘disability’: a sense of proportion is the first step. There are tons of people in the workforce who steal from their employers, who goof off, who lack competence, who are rude, and who are deadwood in many different respects. You, on the other hand, are going to be grateful for your job. You are going to honour your job, work hard, work honestly, be a team-player.

No need to even mention the downside when the upside is so bright.

Honestly, I have a student who is developmentally impaired. She is courteous, listens, follows instructions, is enthusiastic, wonderful in every single respect.

I have had students who ‘know everything’ and believe me they do not know enough in my books. Which student do you think I am going to bend over backwards to teach?

Tell yourself success stories. Like Colonel Sanders started his chicken franchise when he was retired. Like Walt Disney went bankrupt three times.

God bless you!
 
**If you were hired and for some reason your employer found out that you lied, you could be fired on the spot. He’d have no reason to trust you. And I am not 100% sure, but I believe that if the employer were to NOT hire you because of the schizophrenia, he could be sued for discrimination. I second the suggestion that you try an organization that helps the mentally/physically challenged to find jobs. They’d be in a good position to know what works and what doesn’t, as far as getting a job. **
 
Also, website designing skills are not completely unapplicable to bookkeeping jobs… what if you went to work for a small company that then figured that you could do their website for them as well? Theres a very good chance that you could get caught and you would then get fired…

I don’t think it would be right to lie anyway, but you’ve also got to consider the fact that it probably would not do you any favors…
 
My sister is paranoid schiz, so I know where you are coming from. I agree with Malia. Go with the unemployed for personal reasons, then instead of using an employment history, list projects you may have worked on for volunteer or personal reasons.

They will probably ask if there is anything preventing you from being able to perform your duties according to the job description. Anything you’ve done through the church or helped others on may also be of importance. You’re trying to establish your trustworthiness and abilities.

Since you are on the meds, your answer would be that you are able to perform all duties. It is illegal for them to start prying into personal medical history.
 
To lie on your Resume, or “leave” out something, gives the Boss just reason to fire you on the spot. Believe me they will find out. I have seen it happen to many people. I would suggest contacting Social Securtiy office, they can help you, especially if you were recieving benefits while disabled, its called a “ticket to work” I don’t know much about it but maybe it could be your way into the workforce. Once you have a job, keep your personal life under wraps its not your co-workers business.
 
Illness is a legitimate reason to have been out of the work force. Since you are now well, all you need do is explain that you are functioning normally and perhaps even offer a doctor’s note. You needn’t divulge what your illness is, just that it incapacitated you for a time. Do you have any work history? You could point to previous employment, experience, etc., to brush aside the issue. If all else fails, maybe you could offer to work for a probationary period until you can show them how focused you are. Sell yourself as you are now, this is what everyone who is looking for a job must do. Lots of people have blots on their work history, but there is a right job for you, to be sure. Whatever you do, don’t lie, that is a reason for termination if they ever find out and it is not right.
 
First of all I congratulate you and encourage you in your strength and perserverance. Jesus gives us strength and peace.

My approach would be that a resume is a marketing tool. Certainly, you don’t want to lie. However, you also don’t have to advertise facts that you care not to. How about starting off with a basic job e.g. a store, some form of simple labor for a small business, etc. where your history will be less of an issue? From there, you can move into better jobs. I see it as similar to establishing credit.
 
Mom of one said:
**If you were hired and for some reason your employer found out that you lied, you could be fired on the spot. He’d have no reason to trust you. And I am not 100% sure, but I believe that if the employer were to NOT hire you because of the schizophrenia, he could be sued for discrimination. I second the suggestion that you try an organization that helps the mentally/physically challenged to find jobs. They’d be in a good position to know what works and what doesn’t, as far as getting a job. **
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You can bet your bottom dollar the boss who does not hire for fear of the mental health history would not admit to that

One more added unattraction of the USA, the government allowing people to become beggars…gah. Any chance of a disability pension to stave off the hungry wolves stressing you too much?

Being one of that band of brothers having mental health problems, I have said on my resume…out of the workforce for a period of time to persue other interests (sanity and artistic pursuits or whatever) rather than a lie.
 
Although I don’t have a history of mental illness, I do have a couple of gaps on my resume that I’d rather not explain.

I wouldn’t list work that you didn’t actually do for that time. But, if an employers asks you what you did during that time (in an interview) then I think you can say “I took time off of work while taking care of a member of my family who needed my help.” After all, you’re a member of your family, and you had to take care of yourself. And, I don’t think anybody would ask questions beyond that, because it fairly screams “MIND YOUR BUSINESS.”
 
I would simply state that you were out of the workforce for medical reasons and that you now have a clean bill of health.

Then, focus on your skills and why you would be a good employee.

No prospective employer has a right to ask what was wrong with you.

If asked, simply state it was a life threatening ilness that prevented you from working. That is not a lie. Mental illness is life threatening as many do harm themselves out of desperation.

Finally, congratulations to you for your turn in events. My prayers go with you.
 
Bottom line:

DO NOT LIE

Be honest about not working due to medical reasons, state you have a clean bill of health and the ok by the doctor to work again and leave it at that.

Potential employers cannot ask personal questions.

Do not volunteer more than what the employer needs to know - and that is why your skills are best suited for the work needed to be done.

Now, will you lose the job opportunity because you weren’t more open?

Possibly.

But if you lie, then get the job, the truth will come out someday, somehow, and you can be dismissed for lying on your application and during your interview. So you will always have to worry about when that day will come. Not a good way to live your life, imo.

Think of it from another angle…
why would you want to work for anyone who is not compassionate and supportive of people with mental disabilities??? Better to find out up front what the employer’s biases are, in my opinion, than to take the job then find out he/she is going to make your life miserable.

Remember that interviews go both ways - YOU are interviewing the potential employer to see whether or not he/she is the type of person you’d like to work with and whether or not the work environment is safe and comfortable for you.

Sure you’ll lose out on several job possibilities, but when you finally find a good match - you will be so much happier in the long run. Life is way too short to be wasting years in non-productive work situations.
 
Hello, this is SaintHenry, who post the original Post into this Forum that you all responded to.

I was amazed at all the very good counsel and advice that you all gave. Thank you very much.

HERE’S MY PLAN NOW: I think I will not say anything on my resume about what I was doing during the last 7 years. When I am asked in an interview about the work history gap, I will say that I had cancer [or some similar serious, non-contagious disease], but that I am now totally cured.

Really, what disease I had is none of their business anyway. As I noted in my original post, my actual illness was a mental illness.

My original plan was to claim that I was self-employed during the last 7 years. But that is a really unethical form of lying, since I would be claiming to have been working and supporting myself and getting experience and developing skills, when in fact I wasn’t doing any of those things.

But lying about the exact name and type of my disabiling disease - - that seems like a harmless lie. I think we all tell harmless lies to other people, particularly when they ask about things that are none of their business.

I do believe that this plan would not constitute a mortal sin, or legal fraud.

If any of you care to comment on my current plan, I would be very grateful. Your further wise counsel will be attended to very carefully and much appreciated!

P.S. This morning I went to mass. After mass I was going to ask the priest for an appointment sometime to ask him for his opinion on this matter from the point of view of Catholic ethics. But in his homily at the mass this morning the priest directly said that becoming holy is not the point of life, but that we are all just supposed to accept ourselves as we are, which is what God in His mercy does. I guess that priest never heard of the saints, the New Testament, the Catechism, or Pope Benedict. Anyway, I didn’t think his counsel would be reliable. But I’ll try to find another priest. Maybe someday all 🙂 priests will be Catholic again.
 
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SaintHenry:
Hello, this is SaintHenry, who post the original Post into this Forum that you all responded to.

I was amazed at all the very good counsel and advice that you all gave. Thank you very much.

HERE’S MY PLAN NOW: I think I will not say anything on my resume about what I was doing during the last 7 years. When I am asked in an interview about the work history gap, I will say that I had cancer [or some similar serious, non-contagious disease], but that I am now totally cured.

Really, what disease I had is none of their business anyway. As I noted in my original post, my actual illness was a mental illness.

My original plan was to claim that I was self-employed during the last 7 years. But that is a really unethical form of lying, since I would be claiming to have been working and supporting myself and getting experience and developing skills, when in fact I wasn’t doing any of those things.

But lying about the exact name and type of my disabiling disease - - that seems like a harmless lie. I think we all tell harmless lies to other people, particularly when they ask about things that are none of their business.

I do believe that this plan would not constitute a mortal sin, or legal fraud.

If any of you care to comment on my current plan, I would be very grateful. Your further wise counsel will be attended to very carefully and much appreciated!

P.S. This morning I went to mass. After mass I was going to ask the priest for an appointment sometime to ask him for his opinion on this matter from the point of view of Catholic ethics. But in his homily at the mass this morning the priest directly said that becoming holy is not the point of life, but that we are all just supposed to accept ourselves as we are, which is what God in His mercy does. I guess that priest never heard of the saints, the New Testament, the Catechism, or Pope Benedict. Anyway, I didn’t think his counsel would be reliable. But I’ll try to find another priest. Maybe someday all 🙂 priests will be Catholic again.
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Why lie at all? Why not just say, I had a medical issue that is now cleared up, I’d rather not discuss it at this time.

If you say anything else it could go badly - Like saying “I had cancer”, well, cancer can relapse, they might not want to hire a medical risk of that kind. They might expect you to take an interest in support groups, know about the disease. Perhaps someone will come to you seeking advice…etc…

As far as I know they aren’t allowed to question you further about your medical history (unless you are going for a clearance - in which case lieing would disqualify you anyway).
 
Lady Cygnus:
Why lie at all? Why not just say, I had a medical issue that is now cleared up, I’d rather not discuss it at this time.

If you say anything else it could go badly - Like saying “I had cancer”, well, cancer can relapse, they might not want to hire a medical risk of that kind. They might expect you to take an interest in support groups, know about the disease. Perhaps someone will come to you seeking advice…etc…

As far as I know they aren’t allowed to question you further about your medical history (unless you are going for a clearance - in which case lieing would disqualify you anyway).
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Thank you for your reply. Here’s why I do not plan to say it was an illness but not specify which one: I have tried that once, with a man at an office of the state employment office. He told me later that he assumed it was a disease that I was ashamed of, because people are generally not afraid to say they have recovered from cancer or a tumor or heart disease, for example. He told me bluntly that he assumed I must have some disease that is sexually transmitted. So I’m never going to use the “unspecified disease” approach! In today’s world, people’s minds are in the gutter, and they will always assume the worst!

Yes, I will have to research details about whatever physical disease I pick to use instead of mental illness, so that I can talk a little bit about it in the workplace. But I think I can handle that.

As far as I can see, this Plan will work. But if anyone sees any fatal flaws with this Plan, I would be grateful to learn of them. Thank you very much.
 
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SaintHenry:
Thank you for your reply. Here’s why I do not plan to say it was an illness but not specify which one: I have tried that once, with a man at an office of the state employment office. He told me later that he assumed it was a disease that I was ashamed of, because people are generally not afraid to say they have recovered from cancer or a tumor or heart disease, for example. He told me bluntly that he assumed I must have some disease that is sexually transmitted. So I’m never going to use the “unspecified disease” approach! In today’s world, people’s minds are in the gutter, and they will always assume the worst!

Yes, I will have to research details about whatever physical disease I pick to use instead of mental illness, so that I can talk a little bit about it in the workplace. But I think I can handle that.

As far as I can see, this Plan will work. But if anyone sees any fatal flaws with this Plan, I would be grateful to learn of them. Thank you very much.
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Ugh, that does make it difficult. How about a “non-communicable, hereditary cancer-like disease” (a sort of “cancer of the brain” :ehh: ?) Lies always bother me, I try to avoid them as much as possible, because they inevitably lead to more lies (Who was your doctor? Were you very sick from the Chemo?)
 
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