Some jobs require a pre-employment physical exam as part of the hiring process. If you’re planning on looking for a summer job this year, you might want to know in advance what will be expected of you and whether a physical is required.
Employers request physical exams from their job candidates for several reasons:
- They may want to ensure that the applicant is physically able to withstand the demands of a job. This is most important in manual labor positions where a person’s strength or stamina is vital to the work being done.
- They may want to prevent injuries and workplace accidents. People who are unable to do the work required of them may put others in danger on the job. Some pre-existing conditions could also pose a risk on a job site, and knowing about them in advance can help an employer make accommodations.
- A physical exam may also be required by the insurance provider, labor union or other third party the employer answers to.
In any case, a pre-employment physical is usually required after you’ve been given a job offer. Other rules about how and when the physical is offered are determined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Do You Need a Physical to Look for a Job?
Whether you need a pre-employment physical for a summer job depends on what type of work you’ll be looking for. Any kind of job that requires any amount of physical labor is likely to require a physical. Additionally, city government jobs such as working for the parks department or working at a city pool, you can expect to have to perform a physical.
If you’ve never gotten a general physical before, the exam can help to identify any problems or risks you may run into as you venture into the workforce. Knowing your limitations in advance might also help you save time and struggle by avoiding jobs that will be a poor fit for your physical abilities. Once you have a baseline to compare to, maintaining your health gets a lot easier.
Get your Physical at Integra Urgent Care
If you need a pre-employment physical or any other routine health check on short notice, Integra Urgent Care can help. Walk in or check in online at Grand Prairie, Weatherford, and Las Colinas.