Pregnant Friend Applying for a Job at my Company

Les79 · 13 June 2018 at 8:46PM

nicechap wrote: »

Pregnant women are perfectly entitled to apply for and gain new employment. Until discriminatory attitudes like the one displayed in the OP are part of the past we will never have an equal society. The OP is also not part of the next stage of recruitment.

Revealing such personal medical information without consent could land the company in very big trouble if the interview is withdrawn/ failed as a result.

But then i suspect you've fallen for the AI dilemma.

Well, discrimination is part of human nature so we will never have an equal society. Maybe, if you want an equal society, you should start with small steps and petition (haha) for The Queen to get a job and pay taxes like the rest of us. Or just have a pop at some random stranger on an internet forum!

Anyways, I think that OP is more worried about the possibility of a narrow-minded employer giving them hassle for recommending someone who they knew was pregnant. I don't think that this is a reflection on what OP thinks at all! I suspect that they are probably more tolerant than you give them credit for, but they are in a really unfamiliar situation and struggling to deal with it.

[Deleted User] · 13 June 2018 at 8:55PM

Interviews are a two way street, it can go anyway and it's not guaranteed anyway plus the throwaway society we're in, means nothing is set - 6 months ago I was humping parcels around in a depot and now looking for my second job of 2018 as much as folk like to tell me I don't really have fixed term contracts - worry about friend if gets the job as you could be seriously overthinking this. *Scratches head, shame they just didn't make the job fixed term*

I went to an interview this year for mat cover, where there were two ladies going off at maternity same time!!!! They (small team) were coping! I didn't get the job because there were two people over with industry experience who were more relevant.

Gavin83 · 13 June 2018 at 10:00PM

NEVER recommend a friend for a job. You're basically relying on someone else doing the job well, regardless of how right or wrong it is if they don't impress for whatever reason it'll reflect badly on you. Friends should always be kept separate from money and business.

I don't envy your position at all, whatever you do it'll be wrong. I guess you need to decide what's more important, your friend or your job. Regardless of how wrong it is your employer is likely to look on you unfavourably due to this and they're unlikely to believe that you didn't know.

VintageHistorian · 13 June 2018 at 10:12PM

Are you prepared to lose your friend over this? If she's a strong candidate and knows it, and fails to get the job, then she'll ask you if you told people. Are you willing to lie to her face and say "no", or tell her yes? One way or another I don't think she'd trust you in the future, or be rushing to ask you to be godparent to the next one.

If she came to you and said she'd found a lump and was going for a mammogram and family history suggested it was probably cancer, would you also be telling your employer? After all being off on sick leave for months of long-term treatment would also be disruptive to the team. But again she's trusted you with the information, so would you say something to management? Or is it only different if it's a pregnancy?

You'd also be putting your workplace in an awkward position, by telling them you're opening them up to accusations of discrimination if she doesn't get the job.

It's a can of worms and I can see why you'd be conflicted. Personally I'd keep quiet, see if she gets the job, and then lie if work ask you if you knew she was pregnant.

LilElvis · 13 June 2018 at 10:30PM

Les79 wrote: »

I'm going to get slated, but I do think that pregnancy is a bit lax when it comes to being a protected characteristic. It is sort of sneaky and dishonest withholding the fact that, in a few months, you will knowingly be unable to work. I could understand it if pregnancy took place during work (well, not IN work but you know!), but before joining an employer is a bit sneaky. But then again, employers wouldn't hire as many pregnant women if it was a bit more "lax" so a difficult one.

That being said, that's the way the world currently is and as such each to their own!

Which brings me on to the advice aimed at you, OP....

Each to their own. As far as you are concerned you didn't know, yet it may be worthwhile just voicing your concerns to your friend so that they don't say anything about you knowing beforehand. As far as loyalty to the company goes, seriously don't be a jobsworth and lose your friend.

You do realise that maternity leave can be as short as 2 weeks? That's how long my old manager took off - and she was on the phone to me within 2 days. Plenty of employees take that much time off for minor illnesses.

Dox · 13 June 2018 at 10:45PM

theoretica wrote: »

As she is already pregnant the company will probably not pay her any maternity pay.

Depends if she will have worked for the employer continuously for at least 26 weeks continuing into the ‘qualifying week’ - the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth.

Samsung_Note2 · 13 June 2018 at 10:55PM

Not wishing to sound horrible...not all pregnancy will make it full term,so anything could happen in the next X amount of weeks.

My wife nearly lost our children twice,before finally being admitted to hospital for the last 8 weeks before they took them out.

Let the pregnant lady make her own choice...its hers alone.

theoretica · 13 June 2018 at 11:21PM

Dox wrote: »

Depends if she will have worked for the employer continuously for at least 26 weeks continuing into the ‘qualifying week’ - the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth.

Exactly. Add those up and she won't meet the requirement if she knows she is pregnant before the job interview. Looks to me like that eligibility requirement was set that length on purpose.

Masomnia · 13 June 2018 at 11:36PM

She won't have the required length of service for SMP but still could in theory take up to a year off during which the company will have to keep the job open for her. She may be contractually entitled to pay, though I guess it's unlikely. For small businesses it can be difficult, but it's part of it all and they'll muddle through.

I see why you are in a difficult position too. I wouldn't say anything to your employer. It potentially puts them in a difficult position. They might not care, and it might even make you look bad. If they ask you can tell the truth, which is that you didn't know when you recommended her. Anything could happen over the next few months; and she might not want to take much leave anyway.

Savvy_Sue · 14 June 2018 at 12:58AM

pinkshoes wrote: »

You could always mention your friend's pregnancy as a passing comment and how pleased you are for her. Maybe also mention that you are pleased there are so many great candidates that have applied for the job.

No, please no, please NO don't do this.

shortcrust wrote: »

I think that's probably what I'd do. I'm not even sure I'd feel that bad about it. This friend clearly isn't particularly worried about the potential impact on the OP and it's not like she's unemployed.

I do hope I don't have many good friends like you.

The last thing the OP should do is mention it to his manager / employer. It is his friend's information, for her to share when she's ready. If she doesn't get the job, she doesn't have to share it.

If she does get the job, it's then her decision when she shares it.

But if HE shares the information and she doesn't get the job, the friendship may be damaged, and he's exposing the company to a discrimination claim. Messy.

Pregnant Friend Applying for a Job at my Company

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