Would you tell a potential employer you are pregnant?

jdturk

bettybelle wrote: »

I have read this thread with great interest and think zzzLazyDaisy has given excellent information. As she has said she is a specialist in this area and I would take much more notice of what she has said, OP, than some of the employers on here getting a dig in.

I've been wondering lately what I would do in your position. I'm currently looking for a new job and my husband and I are trying for a baby. Should I wait to try until I am established in a new job? No, because for various reasons time is precious so we will continue to try. If I am lucky enough to find out I am pregnant and it is before going for an interview, I will keep quiet. If I get the job, I will not say anything until the 12 week period has passed. Then I will apologise to the employer for the inconvenient timing but share the HAPPY news that I am pregnant.

If they don't like it, TOUGH. As they say, no sentiment in business. Laws are there for a reason, maybe some people feel it's unfair on employers but they need to take that up with the Government, it's not your problem!!

Lastly, OP, what wonderful news you have got, all the very best for your pregnancy xo

Probably not happy news for them and you wouldn't be saying there's no sentiment in business if they give you the boot

Uncertain

jdturk wrote: »

....... and you wouldn't be saying there's no sentiment in business if they give you the boot

I think that is EXACTLY what she would be saying as she filled in her ET1 or searched for a solicitor who specialises in discrimination - and rightly so.

mountainofdebt

but surely this question MUST run through the heads of people when they are interviewing ...and certainly more so when deciding upon two candidates, regardless of how illogical it might be? To think otherwise is just burying head in the sand.

woody01

Sorry Uncertain, but i got bored with your drivel after line 2.
It is blatantly obvious though, that if you knowledge is compared to your 'amazing' CV, one or the other is fabrication.

bigheadxx

http://www.workingfamilies.org.uk/asp/family_zone/factsheets/pdfs/Pregnancy.pdf

pinkshoes

sammyjo1979 wrote: »

I understand all views on this and respect everyones opinions but why should I throw away my legal rights?

There's legal rights, but there's also morals...

A female where I work had just been given a promotion (obviously before she was pregnant), but a few months later, she was offered (and accepted) a place on a very expensive training course that MANY people wanted to go on, then just before it started, she announced her pregnancy.

The boss realised that she knew she was pregnant at the time of accepting, and will only have one or two weeks remaining when the course finishes (thus no chance she'll be able to help role the training out site wise, leaving it entirely to the one other lucky individual getting the training), and he is FURIOUS with her, because he sees her actions as selfish and a detriment to the company, and also denying someone else worth of that training place.

I very much doubt she'll ever get another promotion, and she'll be given the worst work to do! It'll also make them think twice before promoting any female of breeding age!!

If the job I'd been offered was with a much larger company that could absorb the cost of someone on maternity leave (and thus training someone else up), then I wouldn't mind so much accepting it, but it can be very unfair on small companies, particularly the job I was offered, hence I turned it down (even though it now means I'm stuck in a job with a hateful company!).

wontfallforit

Personally, I'd tell.

Being honest, it'd almost certainly scupper your chances in some jobs, but you may be surprised - your honesty could be appreciated.

Where I used to work (in a very large company), a woman started her job at 6 1/2 months pregnant. No concealment involved (not that she could hide it, she was quite obviously getting to 'heavy pregnancy' stage).
It wasn't a particularly easy job to get - no qualifications required, but reasonably paid. Yet they still employed her.

By telling, you have nothing to hide. Resentment will be at a minimum, and even if colleagues object, it's sod all to do with them.

Best of luck.

aimee21j

Just wanted to throw my friend's story into the mix OP.
She was made redundant at 5 months pregnant (she's now glad she was as she got a goodwill payoff- a month later the company went bump anyway). She signed on with an agency and got a temp job with a large company looking very pregnant. Her contract ended when she needed to leave, they kept in touch and gave her a permanent job 9 months later when she chose to work again. She was delighted at how she was treated as a temp, with the MD giving up his reserved parking space so she wouldn't have to walk so far. They sorted out a comfier chair for her back and even cut a little bump shape in her desk bless.

SueC_2

All this goes to show - there are flexible and understanding employers, as well as flexible and understanding employees. There are also demanding and unreasonable empoyers and employees.

It is up to each employer / employee to decide which camp they sit in, and cut their cloth accordingly!

Each approach brings it's own rewards and/or penalties!

mummytotwo_3

Im in a similar situation, im 17 weeks pg with my 3rd and started working part time last december when my current youngest was 9 months old. I found out i was pg in Jan and did not tell my new employer i was pg until after my 12 weeks scan, and i only told him them because its a family run business and theres only me and 1 other in the office. Im lucky in that he is fine with it, and i just need to give him six weeks notice of when im starting my leave so he can find cover for me whilst im off.

I though because my husband has lost his job, was going to look for a second job in the evenings to help moneywise, but as i was already 12 weeks thought that i wasnt such a good idea.

So i know what the op is experiencing, go with whatever feels right for you.