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Dilemma! Would you be honest?

I am 6 weeks pregnant and have been jobhunting for past month. Problem is now i know Im pregnant do I tell prospective employer? If I do would it ruin my chances of getting a job but if Im not honest will it jeopardise it anyway when they find out? What would you do?:\?

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  • Hi. I'm kind of in a similar situation to you. I applied for a job back in July, they took an age to shortlist and I they eventually wrote to me in September inviting me for an interview in October. I wasn't pregnant when I was inteviewed (think I conceived a few day afterwards), but I am now. I was offered the job when I didn't know I was pregnant. I'm wondering whether to tell them or wait. I've had to fill in a confidential medical questionnaire thing, and it asks if you are pregnant. I had to sign it saying that everything I'd said was true, and if I withheld info I could be dismissed. So I had to put on the form that I was pregnant.

    I'm not worrying too much though, as it's illegal to discriminate against a woman on the grounds that she is pregnant and if they suddenly withdraw their job offer I can take them to an industrial tribunal.

    If I was you, I would keep it to yourself. 6 weeks is still early days (I'm just over 5 weeks and I'm hoping that everything goes to plan, but in the early stages there is a risk you can miscarry - sorry if this sounds a bit pesimistic). You wouldn't tell your current employers (and you don't have to) till you are much further gone anyway.

    Hope this helps! Good luck with your job hunt xx
  • Thats a hard one. Do you have an interview soon? In another couple of months you would have to be honest. Also, what about maternity entitlement, with some employers you have to have worked a certain amount of time there to get the full maternity pay.
    Good luck with the job hunting.
    Denise
    xx
  • I was offered a job last yr in Jan 2006 and found out I was pregnant about 1 wk before I took up the post. I ended up telling them and they were fab and told me that I had got the job on my own merits and that the fact that I was pregnant didnt change anything. Started the job in Feb.

    I'm glad I did tell them as I ended up having mc at 11 1/2 wks and had to have a couple of weeks off. They were so understanding and helpful. Now I am on mat lave with the same job and 38+1 and going in on Fri for section.

    On the other hand - legally you do not have to tell your employer at this early stage.
    xxx

  • Thanks, have been to a couple of interviews - was honest with one company coz they were too nice not to tell and should hear from them by end of week. But have got loads of cvs out and about and with recruitment agencies. Have looked into it and think will get MA but not SMP coz I was working up til end Sept! Thing is how would you be able to tell if they were discriminating or not? Its a bit tough!
  • I went for an interview on the day I found out I was pregnant and got offered the job, I took it without saying anything and then had to tell my bosses 2 weeks later when I started bleeding - they were totally fine with e but even if they weren't they can't discriminate - most places are a bit scared of the treat of tribunal! xxx
  • You would only really be able to tell if they were discriminating against you if you were offered the job, then once they found out about you being pg they withdrew the offer. I suppose you could ask for feedback from interviews where you were unsuccessful, and if you don't think the feedback they gives warrants them saying no they you could take action. Much harder to prove this way though, and probably not worth the effort and emotional turmoil (only thing you might get out of it is some compensation - they're hardly likely to turn around and offer you a job after you've taken them to an industrial tribunal).
  • Hi

    I had that exact problem.I was also very cautious about the type of work i looked for aswell because i had previously had a miscarriage and was totally convinced it would happen again!

    Unfortunatly i didn't find even 1 days work which was quite frustrating and im now 21 weeks (tomorrow) so my chances are very very slim (which is more than i can say for my belly!) of me finding anthing now.I really wanted to work aswell so was quite annoyed that i couldn't as there are so many people that look at pregnancy as an excuse NOT to work and i was more than willing!

    Hope you have more luck than i did, my problem is that i wil be too far gone to even do xmas temp work (as it ends in january)The job centre have said i won't be able to do as much as other candidates so probably wouldn't get the job.

    good luck
    charlie 20+6
  • hi i started a job in july and found out i was 10 weeks pg in my second week they were really good and explained that i wouldnt be intitled to there materinity benenfits as i was pg b4 i started laura xx
  • I'm a temp and told the company i work for and the teming agency and they are fine with it. I have the problem of a bad mempory and can't remember signing a contract if i didn't i'm ok till April! if i did i could be jobless next month image typical! wouldn't mind time off to catch up on some muxch needed sleep but we need the money so i gotta keep goin especially as this is a better paid job than my partners in.
  • Good Morning Ladies

    Legally you are not obliged to tell any employer you are pregnant at interview stage however on your first day of employment you must inform them but you are not duty bound to tell them until your first day of service - if an employer decides against giving you a position for being pregnant this is a serious breach of conduct and there for could/can be taken further in tribunal. Or you start a position and they decide to terminate your position - your position must be empty for 91 days so if the employer brought someone in to the position you were originally given again this can be took further.

    The employment law is on us pregnant ladies side - however the only downside is you will not qualify for staff maternity if you change jobs after the 26th week of pregnancy.

    Hope this helps Allison xx 22+4
  • Also just as a pointer - you do not have to tell your employer that you are pregnant until you are 12 weeks so if you are below that thresh-hold - abosolutly nothing to worry about.
  • hi,

    I work in HR and just wanted to let you know that the latest date for notifying your employee that your pregnant and will be taking maternity leave is 15 weeks before your EWC. You're probably best telling them way before then so that you get paid time off for ante-natal care and risk assessments are carried out.

    For advice on maternity pay I'd recommend going to this government website page:

    http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/WorkAndFamilies/DG_10029290

    There's an option to get personalised information. There is also detailed guidance for those having a baby on or after 1 April 2007 available from:

    http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file34285.pdf

    There were a lot of changes that came into force on 1 April so I'd really recommend both of these links to make sure you know exactly where you stand in relation to your entitlement rather than just relying on what your employers tell you! Good luck!

  • You know what they say, honesty is the best policy. I was in the same position but once employers found out they werent interested. I just temped until i went on to maternity leave and that way i can start to look for work when i am ready and feel no pressure to rush back into work apart from the lack of money obviously. I think employers appreciate you being honest in my opinion. hope this helps
  • I start my new job on Monday and I've decided that I'll tell them straight away only if it feels right (I think I'll go with my gut feeling), otherwise I'll wait til the new year. Like you sunnymands I think that it's always best to be honest, but I think I'd rather know everything was ok with my baby (i.e. wait til 12 weeks) before telling my employer.

    It's been interesting to hear other people's experiences in this situation.

    Oldermum - how are you getting on with your job hunting? Any success yet?

    gr2007 - thanks for these links, they've been really useful.
  • i'd been temping with the same company for naerly 5 months when i found out i asked them if i got pregnant would i lose my job, my boss said no so i got it confirmed by doc and then told them i was about 4 weeks gone image mainly told them that early as my labs work with nasty chemicals that may harm the embryo or foetus so better to tell them now than have problems with my baby. yes telling people early is supposed to be forbidden but at teh end of the day i made my choice and i stick by it! i don't get treat much differently except i avoid strong smelling substances and avoid reaaching to high or carrying heavy weights mainly i sit at my desk lol and unfortunately twiddle my thumbs. (not much work to do at the moment. waiting for the next influx
  • personally i think it depends on the people you work with andhow you think they would respond. if its a large corporation i would leave it for as long as possible cos id be scared of how theyd react towards me, well thats me being a wimp. on the other hand they cant discriminate and you are going to need the time off for antenatals etc so maybe honesty is the best policy, espeically if you ever have any scares etc(sorry i dont mean to sound neg) but to know you have support there will keep you positive.
    goodluck let us know wot u decide to do!
    xx
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