Starting a new job at 10 weeks PG

[plantmum]

I found out 2 days after accepting the job offer. I'll be starting the job after new year and obviously will need to request time off shortly after I start for the scan.

I've been worrying about this and considered not taking the new job, but I realised that would be wrong. I'm not overly anxious or pessimistic about the pregnancy, but no one knows how it will go! I told myself, imagine having to go through pregnancy loss AND staying stuck in the old shitty job. Touch wood everything is fine and progresses normally. But I know I'll feel so awkward and guilty having to tell them I'll be gone soon enough!

I know it's perfectly legal and above board on paper to start a new job pregnant, but I guess it is inconvenient and annoying for an employer. They are a good company and include gender equality in their mission statement but still I'm so anxious about telling them.

Anyone experienced this, either employee or employer?

[Waterandlemonjuice]

As an employer I congratulated the woman, told her it made no difference to her prospects and was reassuring about her new role. Being pregnant doesn’t mean you don’t need to make a living. This was 5 years ago and she’s still there (I'm not) and has had another child since. She had just started and was a few weeks pregnant. But IME many people are not understanding.

[wintertime6]

Have you considered that you might not be eligible for maternity pay?

[NeedAnExpert]

Make sure you get your maternity allowance claim in early as you won’t be getting maternity pay via your employer.

[leghairdontcare]

I started a new job at 21 weeks pregnant. That was awkward. They were very nice about it to be fair. I interviewed when I was about 8 weeks but they took ages to agree a start date. They weren't very accomodating about flexible working and I didn't feel able to return full time. The issue around flexible working would have occurred no matter how I'd been there I guess.

If you've been working consistently you should be eligible for maternity allowance.

[Schoolchoicesucks]

Do consider your maternity leave and pay entitlements.

Assuming you are ok with claiming maternity allowance, don't feel bad about it. I started a new job and immediately got pregnant (had been struggling with secondary infertility). Felt bad having to tell my employer during probation and then start looking for maternity cover. But I stayed there 6 years and was a good employee.

[plantmum]

Hi everyone,
I know I won't be entitled to SMP. My current work has no maternity benefits beyond SMP and with the better pay in my new job overall I'll offset the loss of SMP compared to MA by the time I finish.
The new job has good maternity benefits, but I'd have to be there a year first sadly.
My husband has a good income that we can afford to live on, we'll have to save what we can in advance and get used to having less.

@Waterandlemonjuice really hoping for this response!

@schoolchoicesucks how did you approach The Conversation?

[Schoolchoicesucks]

@plantmum I held off as long as I could (luckily I wasn't too sick) so that I had chance to make a good first impression and knew they were happy with me. Then I just arranged a meeting and came out with it. I was clear that I planned to take x amount of time off and intended to return afterwards and said that I wanted to ensure a good handover and to help recruit and train my maternity cover role and what I planned to do to make that happen.