New job and just found out i'm pregnant

[titchy77]

I am due to start a new job next week with the nhs and have just found out i am pregnant, it wasn't planned but we are happy about it. i am now in a dilema as when to tell my employer, i am not sure how long the probationary period is, should i tell her before i start the job or wait until i've started?can they get rid of me if i tell them before my probabtion is up??
Any advice would be really appreciated. thanks

[Rhumba]

don't think they can sack if you're pregnant oalthough could not extend beyond probabtionary but would have to be something unrelated to preg. Think you're fairly well protected to be honest. Are you in an NHS job at the moment cos I think you can carry service over which should mean full mat rights and NHS have good mat pay.

[flowerybeanbag]

titchy77 congratulations!

You don't have to tell your employer until you are 25 weeks pg although most people do before then. The probationary period is a bit of a red herring, it's not a legal concept and in normal circumstances a new employer could get rid of you within a year quite easily regardless of whether someone passed their probation or not.
However if they sack you because you have told them you are pregnant that is unfair dismissal and sex discrimination. So they are unlikely to do that - from that point of view they are probably less likely to get rid of you if they know you are pregnant than if they don't!

I'd wait until you've started at least. You may choose not to say anything until 12 weeks, as lots of people do. I think most people tell their immediate boss earlier than that, sometimes you might be very tired or have morning sickness particularly during the first trimester, so it may help for your boss to know.

It doesn't need to be a problem, you'll still be there for quite a while yet, you have time to make a good impression, make progress in your new role, help plan for your maternity leave and set yourself up to be welcomed back with open arms when you have finished your maternity leave.

I don't know what the maternity policy is with the NHS, you will need to check that, but you won't be entitled to SMP as you won't have long enough service. Check whether the maternity pay at work has the same conditions attached, you may be lucky, or see here about Maternity Allowance which you may be entitled to instead.

[stealthsquiggle]

You are reasonably well protected, I think, but unless being pregnant means that there are aspects of the job you will not be able to do for health & safety reasons I would be inclined to wait as long as you can legally (can't remember how long that is but from memory it is around the time when it typically becomes obvious anyway!) I found out I was pregnant in between accepting and starting a new job and left it as long as I could simply because it gave me more time to build up the good will I needed to get me through the following months.

[Rhumba]

when you tell your employer they then need to do a risk asessment so I would tell them as soon as you fell happy to. if you have a problem lifting for instance you have no comeback if you have chosen not to tell.

[willdaisymummy]

This happened to me twice!! It's a standing joke in ourhouse, if I want a baby change jobs!
First time I found out I was pregnant the day I started a new job, totally unplanned but over the moon. I left it til I'd been there 3 months, told them and they were great. It did mean I didn't qualify for mat pay though, missing out by 2 weeks. I was gutted as I'd been at my previous job 5 years, but I got Mat All off the Government which helped. Second baby was planned, I didn't go back to work but money was a rad short so I got a Sat job (at 28!) in a local store. 2 weeks in and I'm pregnant again I did wait til my 3 months probationary was up before I told them but tbh I wasn't that bothered about the job anyway. When I told them they were fab but I missed out on Mat Pay again.
It is a bit of a worry but I used to thnk, who on earth would dare refuse to extend a job because of a baby. Especially in the current compensation climate we live in.
Your bosses will be delighted for you, everyone loves a baby!

[annimac]

I,ve just got a job in november at a hospital doing mental health never done it before but still awaiting for my crb to come back so i havent got a start date yet and now i have just found out im pregnent i dont know what to do.What would they say can they sack me?

[piglet1986]

Hi I'm in same situation how did it go for you. I have been offered a job yesterday as a support assistant for NHS at mk hospital but day before I found out I'm pregnant think I'm 6 to 8 weeks. I'm scared, stressed and upset as really want this job but so worried about telling them as probabtion is 13 weeks normally I aint starting for couple weeks till cbr is checked. I don't know what to do. Please help I don't want to lose my job before probabtion ends.

[Paigeliya2012]

Hello good morning, just a quick question been with my employer for 2 months and 1week an a Care Assistant, but I might be pregnant, how long after if it's positive should I tell my employer please.

[Dianaa]

Hello. I’m 18 weeks pregnant and starting new job next week. I got biggest headache thinking what to do, how and when to tell director that I’m expecting. Makes me feel guilty at some point that they will have to look for someone else soon to change me 😫😫 how long do you have to work at new job to get paid maternity leave?

[katiegray1989]

Hi everyone. Im in a little situation here and no Idea what to do. I'm due to start a new job next week but am currently 13 weeks pregnant. I'm not sure if I should tell my manager already or wait? Only thing is I've got 2 other children and with both pregnancys I showed early (from about 4 months) so don't know how I'll cover it up. Need some advice on what to do Please?? Thanks in advance

[Deany1989]

Hello there 😊

I’m in a very similar situation, I’m due to start my first ever qualified nurses job next week and have found out I’m 4 weeks pregnant! We are totally over the moon but was quite unexpected.. Did you tell your employer, and we’re they ok about it? I feel like I’m letting my new employer down before I’ve even started 😞

Thank you 😊

[Pumpkin18]

Hi guys I'm kinda in a similar situation, we are planning IVF for January and I have the possibility of going to a job with a previous employer from Jan or Feb which is much less stressful. Trouble is it would be a maternity cover position, so 1 year with the possibility of going permanent if the other lady doesn't come back. I think I would take the job if we weren't doing the IVF but I am concerned about starting it already preggo and I'm a really honest person so will find it hard pretending the pregnancy just happened and we weren't expecting it! Pay would also be a bit less so struggling to decide what to do

[LaurenEliza]

Hi everyone!
I'm currently in this situation, so I'm glad I found this thread!
I've just started my new job in the NHS this week, I had my interview and got offered the job in October and later found out I was pregnant in November. My probation is 12 weeks but I'm worried about how they will react, my rights, maternity pay etc.
I'm really worried and upset as it's the first job I can make into a career, I love the NHS and I want to work my way up but I don't want my employer to think that I'm 'young, dumb and pregnant'.

[Hartlepool18]

Advice needed please!!
I have worked within the same company for over 8 years... but just recently changed job role (new manager, new post etc)... so basically a new job but for the same company.. and just found out I’m pregnant .. I’m so worried as to what will happen? I know they already have 2 on maternity leave and 1 about to go off and are struggling as it is (hense why they took more people on)... it is only day 3 of me starting.... can I get saked for this? Or could they make an excuse to sack me? Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks E x

[Hartlepool18]

How early did you find out you were pregnant with twins?
I had a viginal examination and the doctor says there is 2 there and I’m 5/6 weeks pregnant with twins... could she be wrong? (Have a belly ultrasound scan a week away) x

[Hartlepool18]

HEARTBEAT THEN NO HEARTBEATS WITH TWINS!?

Hi. Found out 5 days ago.. I was expecting twins.. went for a scan... 6weeks 3 days it showed... plus 2 heartbeats ... I had been spotting but she said she couldn’t see any cause of bleeding. Bled and had cramping 3 days later... midwife got me in for an emergency scan the next day... to find there is no heartbeats 💔.. when seeing my midwife after the scan ... one baby was measuring 7weeks 5days.. other at 6weeks 3days ... so within 3 days from first scan - one baby is measuring a lot more than it should be .. and the other baby below the 6weeks 3days I originally got told. I have a rescan in 4days as midwife isn’t 100% convinced due to the big difference in measurements .. she did say I will naturally pass this weekend .. the cramps and bleeding is back (no blood clots yet!) but I’m just wondering if it is possible that I am only loosing one and not them both 😥? The last day of my period was 17th June.. so with me being so early ... could they have got it wrong!? Any advice is appreciated xx

[Saz786]

Started a new job yesterday and I am pregnant. Started bleeding and left work early. Early pregnancy Unit did a blood test and hormone levels are fine, need to go for an early pregnancy scan on later this week, only 5 weeks pregnant, im 39 and its my 1st pregnancy. Should I tell my new employer I'm pregnant?

[LynnMcV]

Can someone help me understand maternity pay?

I've just found out i'm pregnant (yay! we're very happy!) were 4 weeks along today, the first day of my last period was the 4th of August.

I start my new job on the 8th of September. My due date is the 12th of May. Am I entitled to maternity pay from the government or my employer?

I've read up on it and know it's 15 weeks before you're due the baby etc but i feel like i'm being incredibly stu it and i can't work it out, can someone help? Thank you SO much

[EMUKE]

@ LynnMcV the direct Gov web site are amazing literally google and it will walk you through questions. It will give you due date/mat leave date/mat pay Calculator! Congratulations are you worried how they might be with you as you have only just started work?!? I’m in same boat but I’m a surrogate for a couple and started 2 months before having incemination my work are going to HATE me! Il tell them late as I ha e too. X

[LynnMcV]

@EMUKE I won't lie, i'm terrified to tell my work. Literally just in the door and having to tell them i'm pregnant is scaring me a lot, but the baby is in there and here to stay! Needs must, ill drag it out as long as i have to.,,, x

[EMUKE]

Thank you so much for all your responses I can’t wait to sit down and go through them! I work as a dental nurse so 50/50 private NHS patients I just feel unfortunately although they can’t sake me due to pregnancy they could find many other reasons... as mentioned before rotas are changed weekly and they know I can’t do early late shift, my contract even though nearly blank states 8;45-5:00 However rota has been put up for Next week and early start at 8 one day and late till 7. I have contested this and I’m awaiting a response however once I tell them I’m pregnant if they do the same thing and I contest it they may say (your unable to work this is a verbal warning) Then go in to find something else... I really appreciate people’s responses. Thank you. Yes I’m entitled to Mat pay as I started work long enough before pregnancy so I’m covered, as long as I’m still employed 2 1/2 months before maternity leave.

[Snowmummy1]

Hi there! I know your post is quite old but I am in almost this exact situation. Can you tell me how you got on to put my mind at rest?!

[Aprilx]

@Snowmummy1

Hi there! I know your post is quite old but I am in almost this exact situation. Can you tell me how you got on to put my mind at rest?!

You would be better off starting a new thread. It is more important for you to establish your own rights than find out what happened to some random on the internet three years ago, who may or may not have been treated lawfully.