Anyone found work with a pregnant bump??

djdido2

Hi there


Just out of curiosity. I am being laid off from my full time job at the end of this month.:( I will by then be approximately 24 weeks pregnant (but look like I am ready to give birth already) :eek:. I do not have a new job to go to but would sincerely like to carry on working. I am going to have to claim benefit for the first time in over 10 years and am expected to find work until I am 29 weeks. I would love to still work but I just wondered if anyone out there thinks its realistic that an employer will offer me work due to my circumstances.

Surely seeing my huge bump any prospective employer will realise that I am going to be there temporarily???

I have a mortgage/bills and kids to so want to work!!!
Anyone???

InsideInsurance

So basically you are looking for 5 weeks of work which could be cut short if you things dont go to plan.

You are therefore realistically looking for work that can be conducted with almost no training, no one will train someone for a week to then only get 4 weeks work out of them, and therefore going to be low skill work which unfortunately often equates to physical labour which isnt going to go well with a pregnancy bump (let alone a pregnant bump - does the bump know if its having a boy or a girl bump yet?)

You could look at home based work, potentially they wont even see you in person and so the bump doesnt have to come up at all.

A friend did effectively emergency call centre temping when she was in mid stage pregnancy, basically getting phone call in the morning to go to X call centre to help cover unpredicted call volumes for Y hours/ days (more often hours). Pay was poor and job very boring as was simply filling in forms with what people have said - couldnt provide any form of customer service - but it paid a bit and was during bad snow when lots of places were finding themselves short staffed and excess calls.

The fear employers will have is their liabilities as well as the short terms aspect as if something goes wrong as its not just you they'd be liable for but potentially also your bump's baby.

What do you have experience in.

GothicStirling

Honestly?

I think you're facing an uphill battle, because potential employers will not want to finance your maternity leave. My best advice is to play the game, get your JSA for five weeks and take Govt maternity pay.

smileylondongal

I was about 22 weeks along when I found my job but it was hard going and in the end I actually had to leave for a whole variety of issues. I think your best bet is to temp through an agency or better still, work from home. I think there's a website - am sure someone can correct me - called peoplebyhour.com or something like that? it's where you can bid for work and depending on what you do, it can tie you over the coming weeks.

Best of luck with the LO - I planned to go on Mat Leave at 38 weeks but mine decided to turn up at 34!

smileylondongal

Ooh sorry just had a thought - it's worth looking into maternity allowance through the local Job Centre - I can't remember how long you have to have worked for in your last organisation but there's a timeframe like 66 weeks and in those 66 weeks you'll have had to work for that employer for 26 or something. Do you know, I can't remember, however it's worth a check on the direct.gov.uk website!!

djdido2

Ironically I have been laid off from working with a training provider that offers mandatory training to the long term unemployed. Love this type of work with a passion and did not want to leave but hey ho they did not have to keep me as my contract expired last month. I realise myself that realistically no one is going to take me on but it seems silly to even think that I have to seek work in order to get payment. Contradicting my companies morals that any work is better than no work.

smileylondongal

Try this - the period is 66 weeks and you'll have had to have worked for your employer or any employer continuously for 26 of those weeks - does that help? just to be sure, though, worth a call to the job centre folk:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Expectingorbringingupchildren/DG_10018869