Informal interview and 20 weeks pregnant.......

[funnysinthegarden]

I've been asked to go for an informal chat next week for a job which could be perfect for me. I was made redundant in March following a miscarriage in January and so am very wary of mentioning my pregnancy before I've even had a chance to meet the firm for a chat. My question is though, will it be worse to say in advance, BTW I am pregnant, or better to leave it until I am face to face with them. I am not HUGE yet, although I will obv have to say at some point that I will need time off by next Feb. We could really do with the money and I don't want to ruin my chances before I even get my foot inside the door. Help.

[Mummy369]

I would say let them know AFTER you accept the job and you have it in writing!

[charidee]

Hi funnys, I'd be interested in the responses to your post as I'm only in my 1st trimester and self-employed as an administrator. I haven't yet told the charity I work for that I'm pregnant, but will in the next week or so. Anyway, not looking for work but just found a job that would be perfect... in a predicament about whether or not to apply and at what stage to disclose. I'd rather tell them at application stage tbh.

[Belgianchocolates]

It depends what your employer is looking for I think. I went for a job interview at 35 weeks, probably looked about 40 as dd2 was huge. So clearly I couldn't hide my condition, lol. Anyway, they phoned me the day after and offered me the job. I think I probably fitted in with their plans, i.e. I would be part time and they were looking to expand their work force for a new unit opening in 2010-2011, so they didn't mind that I can't start until after jan.

[flowerybeanbag]

It's a tricky one isn't it? Obviously it would be illegal for an employer to take pregnancy into account when deciding whether to offer someone a job or not, so often my advice to someone in this situation is not to tell them until after an offer is received. That way you are sure any decision made is based purely on your merits and is nothing to do with your pregnancy. The employer hasn't been given the opportunity to either discriminate or to panic and feel that if they turn the woman down it will be taken as discrimination even if it isn't.

On the other hand, people in that position are frequently in the very early stages of pregnancy, so will have a decent stretch of time before maternity leave is an issue anyway, and also are unlikely to be showing. As you are 20 weeks already, it's a bit more difficult. I don't know if you are showing yet, but if you will be taking maternity leave you will have to let your employer know within the next 5 weeks, or immediately if you start the job after that. So you have very little time between starting the job and disappearing off again, potentially for a year.

I hesitate to say mention it before you go to the interview, as you don't want to give the impression that you think it's fair enough to take it into account. I also think realistically they are going to be potentially pretty peeved by the fact that you would be going off a few short months after starting so from that point of view it's news best found out after you've completely wowed them and made them desperately keen to recruit you.

[funnysinthegarden]

Thanks everyone for your input and comments. I think that you have all echoed my gut reaction which is to go and show them that I would be just what they are looking for and then mention the impending new arrival. In the current market I am hoping to sell my time off as a positive, since it is likely to be next summer at least before the commercial property market picks up again. Anyway, we will see.

Charidee, I went for about 5 or 6 interviews before I was 12 weeks pregnant and didn't mention it at all. As it turned out it would have been academic anyway because I was not offered any of the posts! Which in hindsight I am rather glad about. If I had mentioned it I am sure that I would have been at even more of a disadvantage.

[MrsDenning]

I would not mention until you have job offer in writing. It depends on your bump it may not be obvious that you are pregnant at 20 weeks.

You have to give them 15 weeks notice, working back from the due date. however, if this is not reasonable practical you can give less. So, in the case where someone is not an employee until when they are 34 weeks pregnant they could not be lawfully penalised for giving less notice. For obvious reasons there is no obligation on a prospective employee to give notice of pregnancy.

[funnysinthegarden]

Hello, just thought I would update you following my earlier posts and the very helpful comments which I received. Well I did go for the interview and mentioned my pregnancy almost at the start. As it turned out this wasn't a problem at all and they offered me the job. they have agreed for me to be part time until the baby is born and then go back full time next July. It seems I was the right person for the job and they are happy to wait for me on my terms. So it just goes to show that nothing ventured, nothing gained! Thanks again to all who gave advice.

[MrsDenning]

Good for you and them, sadly so often it is the other way round and the employer cannot see the longer term view! Fantastic to hear that there are some fair employers out there.