Pregnancy and redundancy situation

Northern_Girlie

Hi All - hoping someone can help!

We've just found out I'm pregnant - very early days - 4+6 I think but we're over the moon. However - I've got a weird situation at work and not sure whether to tell them. I'll try to keep it brief!

I was put 'at risk of redundancy' and my current post was deleted. I applied for another job (same company so continuous service) amd got it. It's in another department. However - because of the redundancy the job offers are 'provisional' to allow time for others to appeal (awful situation - we basically had to go up against each other for jobs) and new contracts won't be issued until 31st July. The offer is 99% positive and I've already been asked to attend courses etc to do with the new job.

Question is - do I tell them about the baby now or wait until after the final decision?? If someone appeals and is given 'my' new job then I'm redundant as of 31st July! I'm going to be working for a woman I actually get on really well with but don't want to tell her if it's putting her in an awkward position!
Thanks
NGxx

the_cat

"You do not have to let your employer know you are pregnant until the 15th week prior to the week your baby is due. This is called the notification week. Work this out by going to the Sunday before your due date (or staying with that date if your baby is due on a Sunday) and counting back another 15 weeks"

This is the official rule....... tell no one at all at work. You have to look after your own interests

Gigglepig

Congratulations! If it is early days yet it may make sense to wait before you tell them anyway, regardless of the contract situation?

I am not sure if it would impact on your redundancy entitlements if you told them you were pregnant - perhaps someone else will know.

skintchick

I'd tell them later - they aren;t going to see it as a positive that you are going to go off on maternity leave, so why tell them? However, if you are planning to leave work once you've had the baby then if it were me I'd offer to take the redundancy, because I personally would feel unethical taking a job I had no intention of keeping when someone else could have it.

Why do you feel you should tell them? It won;t stop them making you redundant if they know as they have already made your post redundant, but it will almost certainly make you a less attractive candidate if they know.

I was made redundant in the early stages of pregnancy (they didn't know) and it was the best thing that could have happened. I've never gone back to work and love being a SAHM mum. I did manage to get a contract for three months so I worked my second trimester, but OH and I just worked the finances to one salary and we've never looked back - we even moved house to something bigger. But you have to do what works for you and if you need a job, then don;t tell them just yet.

**confuzzled**

Congratulations:j

LINKY about the law.

If you have a riskier job(working with unpredictable people/manual job etc) then you may have to tell your employers quite early on so that they can do a risk assessment and alter your duties to accomodate your change of circumstances:)
If you're not at risk..the choice is yours, but if you are made redundant you can't claim its coz your pg if they don't know;) For this reason I'd probably tell them your expecting, it may alter any decision for the better, it also shows your trustworthy & honest even when you're jobs at risk which in turn makes you a more favourable candidate for the job IYSWIM:D

Northern_Girlie

Thanks for the speedy replies! Will definitely be going back to work so no problems there - couldn't afford not to unfortunately (although I'd like to go part time) To be honest it's more not wanting to take the job under false pretences and the fact that I'm friends with my new manager to be! Argh - it's a tough one! NGxx

onlyroz

Regardless of the law (which says that pregnancy can't be a factor in any redundancy decision), I don't think you should tell your employer until you are *at least* 12 weeks pregnant. As others have said, you are under no obligation to tell them until 15 weeks before the baby is due. Focus for the moment on keeping yourself healthy, and try not to worry about your job for now.

clw1

Personally I wouldn't tell anyone until at work you are at least 12 weeks and have had your first scan although legally you don't have to tell them until 15 wekks before.

izzybusy23

Northern_Girlie wrote: »

Hi All - hoping someone can help!

We've just found out I'm pregnant - very early days - 4+6 I think but we're over the moon. However - I've got a weird situation at work and not sure whether to tell them. I'll try to keep it brief!

I was put 'at risk of redundancy' and my current post was deleted. I applied for another job (same company so continuous service) amd got it. It's in another department. However - because of the redundancy the job offers are 'provisional' to allow time for others to appeal (awful situation - we basically had to go up against each other for jobs) and new contracts won't be issued until 31st July. The offer is 99% positive and I've already been asked to attend courses etc to do with the new job.

Question is - do I tell them about the baby now or wait until after the final decision?? If someone appeals and is given 'my' new job then I'm redundant as of 31st July! I'm going to be working for a woman I actually get on really well with but don't want to tell her if it's putting her in an awkward position!
Thanks
NGxx

A colleague of mine's contract was due to end on 31st March this year. My manager was trying to extend her contract due to the work continuing and once my manager got her contract extended to September she announced she was 20 weeks pregnant! I had an idea but didn't grill her and how she managed to conceal her pregnancy for that long without nobody really noticing was amazing, but she just wore long floaty cardigans. I think my manager was incredibly annoyed with her at the time because she put her in a bit of situation that she had just got her contract extended but colleague would be leaving 2 months earlier than the end date on maternity leave.. but at the end of the day I don't blame my colleague one bit. She had her welfare to look after and so do you so keep quiet about your pregnancy til you have that contract in your hand!!

Good luck!

pawpurrs

If you are wanting to retain the job, I deffo wouldnt tell them yet, most people dont tell anyone untill after the 12 week scan anyway, when the risk of losing the baby is less, if they decided to make you redundant, then it would be so much harder to find another job in these hard times when your pregnant. Nope, dont tell them, not yet anyway.

Clarieloo

I wouldn't tell them yet for the reasons mentioned already. I was in the same situation and decided to not to tell work. In the end I got offered the job anyway and everything's OK. But re feeling bad about keeping it from your new boss, you're only 4-5 weeks pg - some people wouldn't even know themselves they were pregnant at this stage