Interviewing while heavily pregnant

[DocklandsBaby]

Would you disclose details about your pregnancy during a face-to-face interview?

I'm interviewing with Barclays and Santander next week, and I'll be 32 weeks pregnant. My bump is very visible, and I'm also concerned that my suits don't fit anymore!

Are interviewers allowed to ask about my pregnancy?
If they aren't allowed to ask, but do anyway, how should I respond?
Should I disclose my due date and how much leave I intend to take?

Discrimination is really difficult to prove in this situation, as they will no doubt find another reason for not progressing my application. I feel the chances of success are slim (because I will certainly have maternity leave, whereas other candidates may not), but at least I get interview practice and I better understand the challenges working mothers face.

[AlwaysDancing1234]

I found the website maternityaction.org.uk helpful and there is a number you can call for 1-1 advice I think. I will be interviewing when aprox 17-20 weeks pregnant so need to know where I stand too. Good luck with the interview!

[tgamble13]

i had an interview at 28 weeks and obv u could tell i was pregnant. the interviewers never mentioned it until i apologised for being so hot and flustered the room was very warm and i was sweating and then the lady of the panel asked me.how long id left (this was at the end of the interview) i got onto the waiting list which was wot the interview was for. it would be difficult to prove discrimination in this instance but am sure they are allowed to ask genuine questions. sorry not.much help

[DocklandsBaby]

Thanks AlwaysDancing - the maternityaction advice line isn't open until after my interviews (only Weds, Thurs and Fri). I'll search their website to see what I can find.

[Plateofcrumbs]

To my knowledge they shouldn't ask you about it. Big organisations like the ones you are interviewing with should be well versed in this (although no guarantees you won't get a 'rogue' interviewer!).

In general terms it would probably be helpful to emphasise your long-term ambititions with the company etc - if they see you as a long-term investment rather than plugging an immediate vacancy this will probably help your cause.

Just out of curiosity in case anyone with expertise drops in - what happens if you're recruiting for a short term contract and a person applying may be on maternity leave for the entire duration - do normal rules on discrimination still apply?

[summerbaby2014]

I'm no expert but I think that some companies have a minimum amount of time you must work for them before you're entitled to maternity leave.

I also think that no employer can ask how much leave you intend to take. The official line is "up to 12 months" you don't have to specify

Best of luck for the interview!

[DocklandsBaby]

Thanks Plateofcrumbs, I will certainly take your suggestion on board. Hopefully the fact that I'm even interviewing shows how driven I am to be a successful working mother.

[DocklandsBaby]

Good point summerbaby. Maternity Leave is a statutory benefit (so company policy not relevant). However, correct notice must be given. So what happens when a woman commences employment after the 'qualifying week' (15th week before EWC)? I suppose I wouldn't be entitled to Maternity Leave at all, and only sick leave or parental leave would apply.

[MyNameIsKenAdams]

They may decide to hire you and start your contract when you decide to return to work, rather than hire, train for six weeks then see you off for six months.

[MissBeehiving]

I was interviewed and went to selection centre when I was 38 weeks. They asked me how much maternity leave I intended to take (transferring within sector so my employment rights would have been maintained). I intended to take 6 months and told them that - I think that I had been asked the question, then I felt that I needed to answer it.

If they had know that I was pregnant I don't think I would have been interviewed and needless to say I didn't get the job. Fortunate really, because I don't think I would have wanted to work for an organisation like that.

[ASmidgeofMidge]

If it helps, I attended a job interview at 36 weeks pg, for large public sector organisation. I had just commenced mat leave in my existing job. Rightly or wrongly, I volunteered info about my pregnancy in the interview, eg irt how much mat leave I was planning to take, as felt it was impossible to have a discussion about the role without it, and given how heavily pg I was, it would just have been the 'elephant in the corner ' otherwise. As a pp has said, I emphasised long term plans/commitment, and happily, got the job

[handcream]

Its a really difficult one isnt it. A larger company might just suck it up but in all honestly if you have managed to get a vacancy signed off you want to fill it before its withdrawn! So, pregnant women ARE at a disadvantage, we shouldnt pretend they are not.

Also small companies would really struggle to take on someone who then commences maternity leave a little while later.

Not sure what the answer is. FWIW - I work for a large company and did for a number of yrs before becoming pregnant. There wasnt 12 months off and there are still men I work with who think that you are paid in FULL for that year!

These days if someone goes on extended sick leave or maternity leave cover is never brought in. The work is just divided up amongst the rest of the team. I sometimes see local gov options where they are looking for maternit leave cover but around here it never happens.

[PenguinsDontEatKale]

Generally speaking big banks will have both the budget and the HR nous to be very careful around interviewing pregnant women and not asking stupid questions.

The difficulty is that these jobs also tend to be pretty full on and hard to 'cover'. So the manager will know taking you on means leaving an extended vacancy. Which is where is counts against you, no matter how much they want to pretend otherwise. Also bear in mind that they'll worry you'll be off for a year, do a year, go off again and then not come back. I'd talk a lot about long term career aspirations, where you want to be in five/10 years, etc if you can.

As far as I remember, there is some sort of 'reasonably practicable' exemption to giving notice of maternity leave. So if you don't know you are pregnant, or in situations where you haven't started the job, I think you just notify as soon as you can and that's ok.

In some ways, I'd say you are in a better situation than someone earlier in pregnancy. You would probably (if successful) technically start employment but not actually 'start' and then start properly after maternity leave. That's better than someone being around for two months, going off and then being gone for months. At lesat you would have a 'clean' start. You wouldn't qualify for SMP or (unless v generous) company maternity pay, but you would get MA if you fulfil the other requirements, so it's not really any skin off their nose (other than holiday accrued) to have you start, and it would be discrimination to delay start date because of maternity leave.

[DocklandsBaby]

Maternity leave would only be at their discretion, as I don't think I'd have any statutory entitlement.

Should I then disclose minimum terms I expect on all fronts - salary, pension, holiday etc

I would think this more appropriate at offer stage, once they have identified I've adequate skills and experience. I can my long-term ambitions, commitment and motivations without discussing my pregnancy.

[Flossiechops]

I interviewed for a job (nhs) when I was 16 wks pregnant so not necessarily obvious. When they asked if I had any questions I told them I was pregnant and that I viewed this role as a long term post. I was offered the post and still work there now 9.5 yrs later.

[PenguinsDontEatKale]

Why don't you think you would have any statutory entitlement to maternity leave? The only reason you wouldn't have an entitlement is if you weren't an employee (self employed, haven't started yet, etc). There is no service requirement for mat leave.

[Misty9]

I interviewed for a job (NHS) when around 16wks and with a visible bump. At the end i volunteered that I was pregnant and the female interviewer said shed noticed but the male interviewer hadn't. It was for a permanent post but I wasn't successful. Legally they can't discriminate, but like you say they can discount you for other stated reasons and it's hard to prove.

You definitely wouldn't qualify for smp as you have to be employed for 26wks by the 15th wk before EDD (I missed it by one bloody week in my current, soon to end, position) but probably for ma - I'd apply asap for this though.

If it were me I'd definitely mention the pregnancy as it's pretty obvious by that stage! But definitely emphasise long term plans etc. good luck!

[DocklandsBaby]

Thanks PenguinsDontEatKale, that's interesting. As it's evident I'm heavily pregnant, whether or not we discuss it, the hiring manager knows that if they offer me the job they'll have an extended vacancy. So why would we need to discuss it? I suppose it might be useful for them to know my due date, but that's all.

Either they are prepared to hold an extended vacancy/arrange cover, or they aren't. Huge (and understandable) disadvantage for my application, but that needn't be mentioned at all. It's simply their decision.

[PenguinsDontEatKale]

Nope, totally agree it doesn't need to be mentioned. When I was talking about stressing long term plans I meant to emphasise ambition, etc, not specifically talking about the pregnancy

[DocklandsBaby]

From a hiring managers perspective, at least they know where they stand. They could hire another woman unaware that she is in 1st or 2nd trimester who starts, takes leave, and returns much later than I would.

[DocklandsBaby]

Statutory Maternity Leave is not the same as Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). Above I referred to Leave only. On the gov.uk website it says

1. Eligibility

Statutory Maternity Leave
You qualify for Statutory Maternity Leave if:
you’re an employee (and not a ‘worker’)
you give your employer the correct notice
It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been with your employer, how many hours you work or how much you get paid.

'Correct notice' is hyperlinked to a webpage which says:
Statutory Maternity Leave
At least 15 weeks before your due date, tell your employer when the baby is due and when you want to start your maternity leave . Your employer can ask for this in writing.

(Whether I get the job or not, I should only receive Maternity Allowance.)

[MyNameIsKenAdams]

Maybe you could approach it as "I want this job and know I could do it well. However, as you may have noticed I am nearly due, therefore my earliest start date would be X" whereby X is the earliest date you intend to return to work after the birth.

[DocklandsBaby]

In reality, I'll be available to work until I no longer feel able or give birth (as with all other heavily pregnant employees who do not request leave before their due date). I cannot commit to a return date at this stage, but I certainly feel able to match the commitment any other employee would be expected to make (max 12 months, minimum 8 weeks notice of return to work).

The only alternative would be to apply when I'm ready to return to work. But even if I need to do this, the interviews next week will be good practice!

[PenguinsDontEatKale]

I think people were assuming that at 32 weeks with time for second interview, decision and your own notice period that would probably take you up to wanting to stop/having had the baby. if you don't have a notice period to give yourself obviously might still be some time.

[DocklandsBaby]

Ah OK. To clarify, I'm available immediately (no notice period).

[MyNameIsKenAdams]

But in their eyes you wont be.

32 weeks at interview....at least two weeks faffing with who they want, references etc. Say you start at 34 wks...
baby could arrive from 36wks onwards.

Be prepared that if they want you, they will only want you after your ML. In which case it works in your favour to have an appealing to them possible start date sometime after the baby is born.