I've just received a memo, informing me that in 2 days time, there will be a company-wide health check and that I will be test for various things - including a blood test and an X-Ray.

Now I was curious, because I am not part of the company group health scheme and a bit of research revealed that it was not for the insurance people but, rather it is for 'the company'

Now, I like to keep my private matters to myself, so I am not keen on this. Why are they taking this information? What will they do with it? Do I have any protection against my personal data being shared around (after all, HR staff are not bound by the hippocratic oath). What happens if I refuse?

I've just received a memo, informing me that in 2 days time, there will be a company-wide health check and that I will be test for various things - including a blood test and an X-Ray.

Now I was curious, because I am not part of the company group health scheme and a bit of research revealed that it was not for the insurance people but, rather it is for 'the company'

Now, I like to keep my private matters to myself, so I am not keen on this. Why are they taking this information? What will they do with it? Do I have any protection against my personal data being shared around (after all, HR staff are not bound by the hippocratic oath). What happens if I refuse?

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It happens in my company once a year, so far I have never been asked to 'join in'.

I have to say that if I were, I would tell them politely to get stuffed! However I am the only Farang out of 200 plus.......so they all think I'm sort of odd anyway!

What is your status?

How many Farangs work with you?

It happens in my company once a year, so far I have never been asked to 'join in'.

I have to say that if I were, I would tell them politely to get stuffed! However I am the only Farang out of 200 plus.......so they all think I'm sort of odd anyway!

What is your status?

How many Farangs work with you?

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I'm the only Farang in a company of 1,500 - so I am even more odd than you.

My situation is probably different. At the university facility I work at they do have a team come in once a year to do blood tests and the last time they also had an optometrist test eyes. I always assumed it was because I worked at a nuclear research facility and testing for possible radiation exposure.

Whatever the reason, for the last few years I seemed to always "show up too late"

Find an excuse to be absent....maybe schedule a doctor's appointment for the same day for your own check-up.

It happens in my company once a year, so far I have never been asked to 'join in'.

I have to say that if I were, I would tell them politely to get stuffed! However I am the only Farang out of 200 plus.......so they all think I'm sort of odd anyway!

What is your status?

How many Farangs work with you?

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I'm the only Farang in a company of 1,500 - so I am even more odd than you.

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....just tell them you have your own insurance plan and you have regular check-ups. Firm but polite.

....just tell them you have your own insurance plan and you have regular check-ups. Firm but polite.

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But this is the part that I do not understand - Hr told me that it was NOT for insurance purposes.

So why are they paying the money to have health-checks performed on the employees if not for insurance purposes? What do they do with this information?

But this is the part that I do not understand - Hr told me that it was NOT for insurance purposes.

So why are they paying the money to have health-checks performed on the employees if not for insurance purposes? What do they do with this information?

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Why don't you ask them that question?

It happens in my company once a year, so far I have never been asked to 'join in'.

I have to say that if I were, I would tell them politely to get stuffed! However I am the only Farang out of 200 plus.......so they all think I'm sort of odd anyway!

What is your status?

How many Farangs work with you?

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I'm the only Farang in a company of 1,500 - so I am even more odd than you.

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....just tell them you have your own insurance plan and you have regular check-ups. Firm but polite.

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That's it in a nutshell

....just tell them you have your own insurance plan and you have regular check-ups. Firm but polite.

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But this is the part that I do not understand - Hr told me that it was NOT for insurance purposes.

So why are they paying the money to have health-checks performed on the employees if not for insurance purposes? What do they do with this information?

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...for sure there is less privacy in a Thai company compared to a company in Farangland so there will be no secrets.

Be polite and respectful but assertive in your non-compliance to their health check or act like a dumb-&lt;deleted&gt; and just avoid it altogether by having a day off.

I would be very surprised if 'they' made you go through the process.

I have no idea what type of business or where you work but if I had to guess I would say they are doing TB tests on their, lets say, underprivileged workers.

If you are the only Farang again I would guess you are in a managerial position??

My situation is probably different.  At the university facility I work at they do have a team come in once a year to do blood tests and the last time they also had an optometrist test eyes.  I always assumed it was because I worked at a nuclear research facility and testing for possible radiation exposure.

Whatever the reason, for the last few years I seemed to always "show up too late" 

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Testing for radiation exposure? A lot of good that will do you since any acute exposure will be too little too late. Any kind of work that risks radiation exposure should be monitored over time and the results of exposure examined to make sure you don’t “overexpose” or exceed the threshold limits. In other words, controlled exposure is OK and monitoring keeps you safe. Doesn’t do much good to check for symptoms of exposure since prolong overexposure may not damage you until years hence.

Besides, it’s highly unlikely that a normal lab will be able to test for levels of radionuclides, rates of excretion, and calculate equivalent and effective doses.

Then again, I’m sure you must be well aware of this since you work in a nuclear research facility? BTW, what do you do?

Testing for radiation exposure? A lot of good that will do you since any acute exposure will be too little too late. Any kind of work that risks radiation exposure should be monitored over time and the results of exposure examined to make sure you don’t “overexpose” or exceed the threshold limits. In other words, controlled exposure is OK and monitoring keeps you safe. Doesn’t do much good to check for symptoms of exposure since prolong overexposure may not damage you until years hence.

Then again, I’m sure you must be well aware of this since you work in a nuclear research facility? BTW, what do you do?

Worked in nuclear physics for 18 years in the US and 13 years here, so you are right - do know the specifics, that is why it confused me re. the tests. Back in the US we had an incident where a researcher walked into an electron beam radiation field (was a test setup, no interlocks). BIG uproar from him and the health physicist. He had to have blood tests for over a year every month. We have radiation badges (checked monthly) and survey meters for immediate evaluation of levels here and in the US.

The history of the testing started several years ago when the facility was running a neutron generator which produced tritium as a side product. We had to beg the hospitals to send a team to do blood tests. Now they are begging us to come and do the testing and it is all because they found out it is "good business - making money" even though the generator is no longer in operation.

My position is senior researcher and am project manager for a 30MeV high current electron beam accelerator. Also am safety officer for same and instruct in radiation safety.

.....well, today is the day of Check-Up.......so tell us what happened!

.....well, today is the day of Check-Up.......so tell us what happened!

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Well, the health-check bus was parked outside the building this morning. But few people were in the office (which you expect when it is raining, but not when they have health tests arranged)

So far, no one has spoken to me - either to remind me to go or to (politely) chastise me for not going.

I had a huge egg mayonnaise sandwich for lunch on principle - so a chlosterol test would show that I have salad cream in my blood stream.

It was all supposed to be over by lunchtime, but as of 3pm, the van is still here and I am untested. None of my colleagues have said anything about it....

Yes, I am managment, so I get the extra-special check-up which includes extra blood tests. All the others get blood CBC, general health and eye tests. they also include chest x-rays for everyone -which does make me think of TB.

Until someone tells me what this is for and what happens to the test results, I am going to avoid all mention and confrontation (Thai-style). If I get cornered, than I shall stamp my foot and pout politely.

.....well, today is the day of Check-Up.......so tell us what happened!

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Well, the health-check bus was parked outside the building this morning. But few people were in the office (which you expect when it is raining, but not when they have health tests arranged)

So far, no one has spoken to me - either to remind me to go or to (politely) chastise me for not going.

I had a huge egg mayonnaise sandwich for lunch on principle - so a chlosterol test would show that I have salad cream in my blood stream.

It was all supposed to be over by lunchtime, but as of 3pm, the van is still here and I am untested. None of my colleagues have said anything about it....

Yes, I am managment, so I get the extra-special check-up which includes extra blood tests. All the others get blood CBC, general health and eye tests. they also include chest x-rays for everyone -which does make me think of TB.

Until someone tells me what this is for and what happens to the test results, I am going to avoid all mention and confrontation (Thai-style). If I get cornered, than I shall stamp my foot and pout politely.

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Stick with it. Fuggem

.....well, today is the day of Check-Up.......so tell us what happened!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, the health-check bus was parked outside the building this morning. But few people were in the office (which you expect when it is raining, but not when they have health tests arranged)

So far, no one has spoken to me - either to remind me to go or to (politely) chastise me for not going.

I had a huge egg mayonnaise sandwich for lunch on principle - so a chlosterol test would show that I have salad cream in my blood stream.

It was all supposed to be over by lunchtime, but as of 3pm, the van is still here and I am untested. None of my colleagues have said anything about it....

Yes, I am managment, so I get the extra-special check-up which includes extra blood tests. All the others get blood CBC, general health and eye tests. they also include chest x-rays for everyone -which does make me think of TB.

Until someone tells me what this is for and what happens to the test results, I am going to avoid all mention and confrontation (Thai-style). If I get cornered, than I shall stamp my foot and pout politely.

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Stick with it. Fuggem

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...thats the way to do it...nice one.

If I get cornered, than I shall stamp my foot and pout politely.

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