Pregnant Friend Applying for a Job at my Company

motorguy

missile wrote: »

If it were me, I would tell whomever you gave the recommendation to.

+1

If the company then want to employ her based on merit then great.

Whilst i'm all for equality, knowing you're pregnant and applying for a job to me is a touch underhanded.

nicechap

sangie595 wrote: »

.........

Equally, who says the woman will be taking the leave - other than the absolute legal maternity leave (2 weeks; or 4 for factory workers), it is entirely possible for the other parent to be the primary carer and to claim shared parental leave. .......

I wonder if all the contributors who disprove of, or would tell on the pregnant applicant would tell on a dad to be? Seeing as they might get a job and nowadays, then be off for as long.

Enterprise_1701C

motorguy wrote: »

I would say the Queen has worked harder and longer than any of us.

Seconded. How many non-royals do you see still working at 92?

And what is the point of an equal society? Why would you work hard at a difficult job if you knew you would only be paid the same as someone working in McDonalds?

And, lets face it, those "equal societies" are not equal, you have the people at the bottom of the pile, and you have the leaders that live a whole lot better than them.

I would rather live in a society that rewards effort. I find those that want an equal society do not wish to put the work in to get what they want, and they see those with big houses (and the vast majority work very hard to get there) and want to be handed that on a plate.

And no, we are not in the top of society, we simply know a lot of people that are due to where our business is based and what we do (everybody needs IT and telecoms).

andygb

If the OP's friend doesn't tell the interview board that she is pregnant, then couldn't that be construed as a dishonest/fraudulent action, given the impact it will have on the company when she swans off on maternity leave?
If I was the OP, I would definitely tell someone, because it could change the company's view attitude towards the OP.

sangie595

nicechap wrote: »

I wonder if all the contributors who disprove of, or would tell on the pregnant applicant would tell on a dad to be? Seeing as they might get a job and nowadays, then be off for as long.

Quite. I very much doubt it. In which case the advice immediately becomes discriminatory. So that constitutes advice to break the law, and we end up back in the circle - the OP can be named as a co-respondent and sued for discrimination. Anyone who thinks that friends don't do that to each other has clearly never been betrayed by a friend. Hatred is a powerful motivator.

Not quite the same situation, but I recall a member who was sued as a co-respondent for racism. They were guilty too, so the union wouldn't provide legal support. The lawyers they had to retain cost them a fortune, they couldn't afford to keep them on, and the tribunal found against them and awarded damages. I actually forget how much exactly. It wasn't a huge amount. A few thousand £s. It was the employer who got clobbered the hardest. But that was irrelevant because they had no money left, the claimant enforced the judgement - I think it was levied against their home or something - and the employer sacked them (and some others) anyway even though the employer had denied the racism!

Like I said, it isn't something that happens often, but it does happen.

If I were going to say anything at all, I might ask my friend if they've thought through the implications of moving jobs whilst pregnant, because that is the sort of thing a friend would point out, if there was a detriment. But past that, I'd stay out of it and emulate the monkeys....

sangie595

andygb wrote: »

If the OP's friend doesn't tell the interview board that she is pregnant, then couldn't that be construed as a dishonest/fraudulent action, given the impact it will have on the company when she swans off on maternity leave?
If I was the OP, I would definitely tell someone, because it could change the company's view attitude towards the OP.

How on earth do you get to fraud??! It is a legal right not to disclose pregnancy, and it is a legal duty for the employer to not take into account any pregnancy if it were disclosed. Full stop. There are no exceptions and no excuses.

They could employ someone else who injured their back the first week, went off sick, and sued for a workplace injury. That would also have an impact on the company. So maybe they shouldn't employ anyone at all? And actually, the injured back might be a lie, and it actually could be fraud.... But proving that would be hard and either way it would be much more costly than SMP.

nicechap

I'm afraid some people are living in the past and yearn for the days when the world map had a quarter of it coloured in red. Halcyon days when their prejudices and insecurities were the norm.

motorguy

sangie595 wrote: »

How on earth do you get to fraud??! It is a legal right not to [have to] disclose pregnancy, and it is a legal duty for the employer to not take into account any pregnancy if it were disclosed. Full stop. There are no exceptions and no excuses.

EFA

Your wording implies that you are obliged not to say, when in reality you're not obliged to say.

So if they legally cant not offer her the job because shes pregnant, wheres the harm in her saying she is?

Full disclosure and all that

motorguy

nicechap wrote: »

I'm afraid some people are living in the past and yearn for the days when the world map had a quarter of it coloured in red. Halcyon days when their prejudices and insecurities were the norm.

Its not a matter of prejudices and insecurities (on my part anyway) its a matter of being honest about it - after all, they cant not offer her the job because shes pregnant anyway?

Lets say i had a back problem that i was managing with pain killers, and i knew in six months time i was going to need six months off for a major operation and recovery time, personally :-

(a) i wouldnt be applying for other jobs, i'd be staying put where i was and where i had built up a relationship based on integrity and trust
(b) if i was approached about another "dream" job and was interviewed for it, i would feel morally bound to tell them.

Hardly a basis for building integrity and trust with a new employer if as soon as you're in the door you go "oh by the way i need six months off"

motorguy

And irrespective of that - and back to the O/Ps question - its a bit of a !!!!!! thing for his "friend" to do on him, knowing its going to put him in an awkward position.

I'd be seriously knarked if someone did it on me after me recommending them.