Pregnant - and now I have a job interview!

[AnaYorks]

Hi everyone

I'm looking for some advice. I discovered just under a week ago that I'm expecting my first baby (now Wk 5); today I've been emailed to say I have a job interview for a job I really desperately want in another organisation.

Am I mad to be thinking of changing jobs now?
What should I say to them at the interview? Should I say anything?

Any advice gratefully appreciated!

[Jacksmybaby]

Congratulations on the pg and job interview!

If's is a job you really want I would go for it.

I would not tell them anything if if were me. You don't have to, and assuming the interview is coming up soon, you realistically might not even have known by now. (If you do tell you might well find you are not hired for the job and there'd be nothing you could do about it - they are obviously under no obligation to hire you and can simply say "there was a better candidate, sorry".)

Once/if you are employed, then you can tell and you will be protected against discrimination (e.g. you can't be fired for being pg). You won't be eligible for statutory maternity pay but will still be eligible to take maternity leave and may get a maternity allowance instead of SMP.

Good luck!

[cinnamongreyhound]

I think it depends on how thick skinned you are! My mum works for a small company (25 men in the factory and 5 people in the office) who hired a new lady last year only for her to tell them a few weeks after she started that she was pregnant and knew before she started, she wasn't very popular with most of the office workers. She had been made redundant and didn't see why she should be unemployed just because she was pregnant when she had worked all her adult life which I totally understand.

From an employers point of view they don't have to pay maternity pay as you get maternity allowance from the government as she was pregnant when starting the job but they have to advertise for maternity cover if they need it, train someone new which all costs money. As it turned out this woman then tried to go back only 2 days a week which they just couldn't accomodate so they are now advertising again for a permenant replacement.

If it were me I would be honest with them and yourself. If you are good at your job, prepared to work hard while pregnant and intend to return to work after your baby is born I would stress that too them and hope they employ you because you're the best person for the job. If you don't get it you would never know the real reason but at least you wouldn't get off to a poor start with a new employer who may be less flexible when you return because of how you started.

Looking further into the future I'm sure there will be other opportunities and they may think of you for other jobs as you have been up front with them now. But definately go to the interview they may love you and decide they can't do without you

[linz17xxx]

I start a new job on Monday and found out just over a week ago that I am pregnant. I told my boss up front and she has been great about it and said that it won't be a problem so I would say be honest about it otherwise they may think you are being deceiptful which is worse

good luck!!

[Sal321]

If you decide not to tell then I wouldn't mention later on that you knew that early, it just seems to be setting yourself up to look devious.

[LittleSilver]

I wouldn't mention it and yes; I'd go for the job. Without wishing to be horribly insensitive, a lot can happen between now and your due date .

I went for a job interview at 32 weeks (very obviously pg) and got the job; 'twas not hassle and tbh no big deal either.

I wish you all good luck for both your pregnancy and your job.

[Petsville]

I'd go for the job and not mention the pregnancy - you might easily not know at this stage, and if you tell and don't get the job it'll niggle at you that it might have been because you were pregnant, which would be incredibly frustrating if you really want the job.

[beanlet]

You've actually got nothing to lose by telling them, as it would be illegal for them to then discriminate against you on the grounds of your pregancy, and it might earn you brownie points for honesty.

[LuluF]

Why not go for the interview - see if you like the job and the company. If they offer you the job, then perhaps mention it then, but I wouldn't say anything at the interview.

It's perfectly possible you didn't know, and like Sal321 says, don't mention you knew at the time.

[Jacksmybaby]

beanlet I don't agree. The protection from discrimination applies ONCE YOU ARE EMPLOYED and won't help you at the interview stage. It would be very easy for them to say "you weren't the right person for the job" and you would have absolutely no recourse, even if you suspected that their real reason for not hiring you was your pregnancy.

[MiniMarmite]

Congratulations!

If it were me I would go to the interview, not say anything about the fact that you are pregnant and then see how you feel.

They would not expect you to say anything until you were over 12 weeks, although I would probably tell them if you are offered the job and want to accept. Definitely not something for first interview stage IMO.

[Petsville]

Jacksmybaby, Beanlet is technically right - protection from discrimination on pregnancy grounds kicks in at the interview stage - but I think it's slightly utopian advice, because no employer is going to be so stupid as to actually tell you that they didn't hire you because you were pregnant, and there's no way of proving that that was the reason. It's always plausible to say another candidate was better.

[Jacksmybaby]

Thanks PV you are right I stand corrected... same outcome though!

[Jacksmybaby]

(and sorry beanlet )

[ziptoes]

This happened to me. I told them after I got a job offer and the HR manager thanked me for not making his job, and the panel's job harder. If they'd wanted to turn me down legitimately they'd have been wondering if it was because they were prejudiced. As it was they wanted to offer me the job and didn't have to battle with "well how much shall we offer given that she's about to go off on mat leave for xxx months?".

So, I'd say go for the interview, which is as much about finding out about them as vice versa. (Who knows maybe you'll get there and they'll all be people you don't want to work with anyway?) Do your best, make your mind up if you want to accept an offer if you get one, and only then should you tell them.

Good luck!

[Missus84]

I wouldn't tell them at the interview. If they offer you the job, then you can tell them.

I was recently in a similar situation - had a job interview at about 12 weeks, told them I was pregnant after I had the offer but before I'd started work. The only difference it really made is getting Maternity Allowance instead of SMP, which means you don't get 90% pay for the first 6 weeks, it's all at £124.88.

[toomuchteaching]

I was in exactly the same situation, found out just before my interview, but decided for a few reasons that I wouldn't say anything. These included having had a previous mc so not wanting to assume everything would go well, not having told anyone in our families so I didn't want the first person to know to be a potential new boss and the fact that I only knew so early because I was desperately looking out for it, and figured I might not have actually known yet in other circumstances.

I got the job and am still waiting to tell them, I haven't started yet. I will wait until after 12 weeks, fingers crossed. I really think this is the most sensible thing to do, at such an early point it's a private thing between you and your partner, you don't have to announce it to anyone you don't want to. I'll admit I'm not really looking forward to telling them, but plan to be upfront, and tell them how much I want the job and intend to return. I won't ever tell them I knew before the interview though!

Do what feels right to you, potentially this job could last for years after you have a baby and if it's what you want to do then go for it!

[Vistana]

Hi!
I wouldn't tell them, I am currently unemployed and know for a fact that at least 1 of the job interviews I have been turned down for is due to me being preganant (my friend works there and was quietly told by the manager the people who own the place will not take on someone whos preganant even though its only a temp job which will be finished before my due date and they are really short staffed! Wish I hadn't said anything but being a friend of a friend I didn't think it would be used againist me but how wrong was I!)

In regards to Maternity Allowance you don't get 90% of your pay for 6 weeks but equally you don't pay NI or tax on it, as goverment pays your credits so isn't all bad.

[emza78]

Don't mean to hijack this thread but I've got a similar problem - didn't know I was preggers at the interview but found out the first week of starting the new job at week 6. I've now got to week 12 but don't know when to tell them as I'm on a 6 month probation. I know they couldnt sack me FOR being pregnant but they only have to give me a weeks notice and I'm sure there's ways around saying it's because of that. I've booked a 2 week holiday in 4 weeks time so would really like to wait and tell them after that incase they decide to get rid of me whilst I'm away! Ill be 18 weeks by the time I get back so hopefully they won't have guessed.. or maybe I should just be honest and tell them next week - though it's putting my job at risk earlier then and I really need the money! Any advice appreciated!

[funnysinthegarden]

go ferrit. Their loss of they say non

[funnysinthegarden]

if not of

[MumNWLondon]

To the OP: If you are happy with your current job and / or there is decent maternity pay then maybe not... although no harm in going for interview?

Don't say anything until you've been offered the job in writing AT THE EARLIEST, then have a conversation about it with them. Although they can't turn you down because you are pregnant its easy to say that you were not the right person. You could even wait until you started but personally I wouldn't do this unless you planned only to take a short time (say 3 months off) because I think otherwise it makes you look very unprofessional.

to Emza78 - you don't have to tell them until 25 weeks, which is still inside the probabation period, I told at 25 weeks each time and with DD and DS2 it was a newish job.