Telling potential employers about pregnancy

andy88_2

I'm upset to read about the last couple of days; it reminds me too much of a boss from years ago that I won't bore you about but had absolutely atrocious attitudes to employing women.

NI contributions - I believe (unless they've changed the rules) that as far as storing contributions for the future go, you can back-pay voluntary contributions for 6 years, and for years when your income is low you are deemed to be exempt from having to pay; to qualify for a full State pension you can still miss 5 years. So it shouldn't be a subject of worry right now for that reason.

That is long term though; there will be more immediate questions about qualifying for benefit payments now, based on recent history of (possibly-deemed) contributions, perhaps only for the last tax year, and that looks partly answered above already.

As far as the employer goes, is that final? Was this gentleman solely responsible for the appointment? Going on what Jacster says, he could find himself in trouble in the firm, if he's made the wrong guess about your reasons. Can you talk to someone else in the firm saying you are surprised at his action, without necessarily disclosing anything yet?

I'm sorry if I sound too male-confrontational when that is certainly not the way you'll want to handle it.

starlite_2

Well the N.i top up sounds like a good idea. I have an appointment in the local benefits rights office today, where we will look fully at my situation, what I may be entitled to etc. also have an interview through my agency- not the best job in the world, but thats not too important right now. as for the boss...well he ran the business, it is a local magazine and b2b directory which he owns himself, so i'm not sure there is anyone else i could talk to, and to be honest i'm so upset with the damn place i'd rather just forget about it and look towards something else.
thanks for all your well wishes, they are much appreciated!

jellyhead

did you have to fill in a medical form before being offered the job? just wondering - it may be that they've sussed you're pregnant, although most women don't need much time off for monitoring, or it may just be that they think you lied on your medical form, that it's not a 'sudden' need for monitoring, it's an illness you already had bit lied about. maybe.

if you're well enough then i hope you find agency work soon. from what i could make out from the MA form last night the 'test period' goes right up to the week of expected birth (although there are some rules about being off sick in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy) so depending on how many weeks of earning £30 or more you have done since the test period started (i was only guessing july 2004, i don't know your due date) you might be able to get 26. MA comes from the government i think, although somebody told me yesterday it goes through your employer if you're employed but i wouldn't know about that. it gets paid for 26 weeks, starting any time after the 11th week before baby is due but you can delay it right up to the birth of the baby if you're still working and is 90% of the average wage over the 13 weeks you earned the most (a maximum of £106 per week).

most of the other benefits people talk about (the £500 maternity grant, milk tokens, optical care, etc.) only come with income support and i'd guess that your bf earns too much for you to get that. but working tax credit is worth a try if you're old enough to apply, and if you don't get any while pregnant you should get it after the birth. also try the entitledto website to see if you can get help with rent or council tax. make sure you get the form off your midwife for getting free prescriptions and dentistry, it's for every pregnant woman regardless of earnings and lasts until baby is a year old.

Fran

imported_ami wrote:

I would need to take a few hours off every week , telling him it was a sudden medical issue, as obviously hospitals are not sympathetic to woking hours and he said this would be fine. He has just called me back giving me a grilling about what it is for, which i refused to disclose as this is personal information, and he didn't seem happy, then less than 5 minutes after our conversation I got an email saying that he is sorry, but perhaps I am not right for the position after all, and good luck in the future etc etc (how cowardly of him!)..I don't want to call for some clarification on this as i am so angry right now and don't want to kick off...i know I must have no rights now but this is so upsetting, and as I had turned down a couple of agency offers since getting the job offer. I feel thoroughly cheated!

Ami,
Sorry to hear about the job. As someone has already suggested, go to CAB straight away. You could take this to tribunal - you have rights from day one - see Emplyment Tribunal info. CAB could help you with this also they will have all correct info on benefits, it's so complicated when there's a lot of different issues involved but they have all the info to hand. I haven't read about your flat problems, but maybe that is something else CAB can help with.

You are entitled to a statutory one week's notice so if you left straight away, you should receive that or it is unauthorized deduction from wages. It would be a good idea if you haven't already to write down the exact words that he said to you and the course of events etc. in case you do take it to tribunal. CAB can advise on this too.

Good Luck

starlite_2

Well we are both 23 so not entitled to tax credit as far as I know. I didn't fill in a medical form, so that wouldn't be the reason. will consider seeing the c.a.b about my would be employer , but at the moment I want to concentrate on taking care of myself and finding a job before i start to look blatantly pregnant . However someone mentioned earlier you don't have to tell your employer until you are 12 weeks pregnant, so if i get a job interview after that date will i be legally obliged to let them know?

Fran

I hadn't seen your post when I posted - get all this info from the advisor today, make a list of all the things you want to ask about so you don't miss anything. I can understand why you don't want to think about it now - I think like Jellyhead said and from your description that he sussed you were pregnant. You have a 3 month time limit in which to apply to an Employment Tribunal.

Fran

If you have a child you are entitled to Tax Credits from the age of 16. See Citizens Advice- Adviceguide website.

Perhaps you should think of telling any future employer that you are pregnant, it could be that the recent one was more annoyed that you had kept it from him - though I'm in no way trying to excuse his reaction.

mrcow

imported_ami wrote:

However someone mentioned earlier you don't have to tell your employer until you are 12 weeks pregnant, so if i get a job interview after that date will i be legally obliged to let them know?

That is not correct.

You don't have to tell your employer until you give notice for maternity leave which is usually at about 24 weeks. So you have plenty of time.

starlite_2

yes fran..you may be right..the interview i have for today is only for a 5 week contract anyway, so i imagine it wouldn't affect my chances. or i can even just tell my agency, as then at least they won't give me inaproppiate work later on, i.e anything too phsical.
I guess tax credit will be useful when the baby arrives.. i will look into it. As for help with rent, we own our flat so that wouldnt be covered under housing benefit. although, we may need to move pretty soon as we are in a second floor flat with two steep staircases and no garden! not ideal for a baby really..he he...so we may end up renting out our flat and then renting another place. I am not sure yet as to our plans on this one.

penrith

i was just wondering how imported_ami feels about the would-be boss giving her the sack?

If you are unhappy at this then you could possibly challenge his decision. If he offered you the job, then you were obviously the 'best person for the job'. When he found out there was a health issue (or he sussed you were preggers) suddenly you were not 'the best person for the job'. This looks like discrimination to me. As long as you haven't lied on any medical forms etc etc then it looks to me like you have been discriminated against. I spoke to my partner who has some understanding of employment law and he said that although it is a bit of a grey area, he felt that you've probably been dealt with unfairly. Irrespective of whether you would actually want to work there now, you may have the option to take it to an employment tribunal. Have you kept the e-mail in which he 'sacked' you?

My brother unfortunately ended up taking his former employers to an employment tribunal. He represented himself whilst they had top lawyers from London. He still won though as the bullying and discrimination he had suffered was blatant.

I am sure the health of yourself and the baby is of utmost important to you and i know that is what you will be focussing on right now. However, as i think what someone else has said, there a 3 month limit to go to an employment tribunal. If you are mad and feel you have been treated unfairly then i suggest you go get some legal advice. If you're happy to let it go then let it go an move on.

Best wishes for the future.