You’ve just landed the job offer you were hoping for. Then comes a follow-up email asking you to complete a health check before your start date. If your first reaction is a flicker of worry, you’re not alone, and you’re about to find out there’s really nothing to stress about.
A pre-employment medical assessment is simply a health check that confirms you can safely and comfortably do the job you’ve been offered. It’s not a trick, and it’s not about finding a reason to withdraw the offer. Once you understand what it involves and why employers use it, the whole process becomes a lot less daunting.
What Is a Pre-Employment Medical?
A pre-employment medical is a short health assessment carried out after a job offer, usually before the employee’s first day. It checks whether a candidate can physically and mentally handle the demands of the role they’ve accepted.
Depending on the industry and the risks involved, the assessment might include:
- A general health questionnaire covering medical history and current medication
- Basic checks like blood pressure, vision and hearing
- A functional movement or strength test for physically demanding roles
- Drug and alcohol screening where safety-sensitive work is involved
- Lung function testing for roles with dust, fume or chemical exposure
Most assessments take between thirty minutes and an hour, and a qualified health professional carries them out, not the employer.
Why Do Employers Require One?
Employers ask for a pre-employment medical assessment mainly to protect the health and safety of everyone on site, including the new employee. It’s a practical step, not a formality.
For Australian businesses, this matters financially as well as operationally. Safe Work Australia’s 2025 data recorded 146,700 serious workers’ compensation claims in 2023-24, involving at least one week of working time lost. That equates to more than 400 serious claims each day.
Agriculture, manufacturing and construction were flagged as the industries where injuries happen most often, largely because of machinery, vehicles, manual handling and working at height.
A well-run pre-employment medical assessment helps employers spot risks early, so they can put the right support in place from day one rather than after an injury occurs.
| Industry | Common Physical Demands | Why a Health Check Helps |
| Construction | Lifting, working at height, vibration | Confirms fitness for physically intense, hazardous tasks |
| Agriculture and forestry | Machinery operation, outdoor exposure | Flags conditions that affect concentration or endurance |
| Manufacturing | Repetitive motion, noise exposure | Establishes hearing and musculoskeletal baselines |
| Transport and logistics | Long hours, manual handling | Checks fitness for driving and load handling |
Is It Legal for Employers to Ask?
Yes, employers can ask you to complete a health check, but the request has to be reasonable and job-related. New Zealand law sets clear boundaries here.
Under the Fair Work Act 2009, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and state or territory work health and safety laws, an employer can only collect health information that’s directly relevant to your ability to do the role safely. As one recent legal guide explains, pre-employment health questions should stay limited to whether a candidate can perform the inherent requirements of the role safely, with or without adjustments, and general health questions unconnected to the job should be avoided altogether.
In short, an employer can ask:
- Whether you can safely perform the core physical tasks of the role
- Whether you need reasonable accommodations to do so
An employer generally cannot ask broad, unrelated questions about your health, your family’s medical history or conditions that have no bearing on the job.
What Happens If You Don’t Pass?
Not passing every single check doesn’t automatically mean losing the job offer. Many employers use the results to work out what support or adjustments might help you do the role safely, not as a pass-or-fail test.
Common outcomes include:
- A conversation about reasonable workplace adjustments
- A referral for further assessment if something needs a closer look
- Adjusted duties while a condition is being managed
- In rare, safety-critical cases, the offer being reconsidered if the role genuinely can’t be done safely
If you’re ever unsure why a question was asked, it’s completely fair to ask the employer or the assessor how the information will be used.
How to Prepare for Your Assessment
A little preparation goes a long way toward making the appointment quick and stress-free.
- Get a decent night’s sleep beforehand, since fatigue can affect blood pressure and reaction-based tests
- Bring glasses, hearing aids or any mobility aids you normally use
- Write down current medications and any relevant medical history
- Wear comfortable clothing if a physical or movement test is involved
- Answer honestly. Accuracy protects you just as much as it protects your new employer
The Bottom Line
A pre-employment medical assessment isn’t a hurdle designed to catch you out. It’s a straightforward, legally bounded step that helps match people to roles they can do safely, and it protects both new employees and the teams they’re about to join. Walking in informed, rested and honest is really all you need to do.