New job and pregnant, can they change their mind?

[FurBabyMum02]

I've just been offered my dream job, handed my notice in today, and tonight get the bfp we've been waiting for (AF 2 days late). I'm worried now that I should tell the new job before I start so they know what they're getting, can they retract their offer after contracts are signed?

[RLOU30]

No they can’t. There was a thread on here last year about a lady whose new employer retracted their offer and I believe she took them to tribunal. I could be wrong but she was further along in her pregnancy than you possibly are. I don’t think you’re obliged to tell your employer until 15 weeks before due date.
Congrats

[ScottishStardust]

You don't need to tell them, and if you do and they retract then they're taking a very big (and costly!) risk!!

You'll be entitled to leave but not payment. But you'll be able to claim maternity pay via the government.

[FurBabyMum02]

That's reassuring to know, I did think it must be some kind of discrimination or something. Its a super odd scenario and terrible timing. When I applied I knew there was a possibility of this but couldnt bring myself to wait after a mc last year. All change all at once now but hopefully all good things!

[ittooshallpass]

Don't tell them until you have to. We had a lady join our team, 2 weeks in she announced her pregnancy. No one was bothered. She worked up until due date and came back around the 9-month mark

[sarahc336]

Legally no and you don't need to legally tell them until week 25 of pregnancy. However you probably won't qualify for their maternity leave package as you don't have been with them over a year by week 25 or birth, however they work it. You'll still qualify for statutory mat leave pay though xx

[cherrybakewelllll]

If there's a probationary period just be careful. Make sure you document things so if they try to say you haven't passed probation, it's not just an excuse.
I had to go to tribuneral years ago for this.

[TitsOutForHarambe]

Don't tell them. You have months before you are obliged to tell them. It is of no benefit to you to tell them right now.

[ScottishStardust]

You'll get the leave but not that pay! They'll need to complete a form and you can claim from the government.


www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/eligibility

[Minibea]

I’ve just done a very similar thing- now 20 weeks and just into my 3rd month in my new job. I waited until after my 12w scan to tell them (chickened out of telling my boss over the phone and sent an email instead ). They were fine about it, but probably not thrilled! The only thing to remember is that you almost certainly won’t qualify for their occupational maternity package for which they’ll set their own criteria and you will not be entitled to statutory maternity pay either as you need to have been employed before you were pregnant in order to get it. You should be entitled to maternity allowance which you have to apply for from the government - it’s pretty much the same rate of pay as statutory, but it’s not paid automatically like it would be if you were paid by the new job. Good luck with whatever you decide re the job and congrats on your pregnancy!

[FurBabyMum02]

Thanks for all the replys think I may wait to tell them, as you say its no benefit to me and possibly risky re the 3 month probation I hadn't thought of that. Seen about the maternity allowance instead thank u, worked out that I would only be a little worse off having that instead of normal maternity pay at this current job because of the chunky pay rise I get with the new one so hopefully it's all gd.
Doesn't quite feel real yet. I thought I would b rly excited but I think its hard to be until the scan and I've seen everything is ok following the mc we had last time

[lucymagoo]

Hey I'm in a similar situation, found out I was pregnant around a week into working in my new job.
The probation period is 6 months so I legally have to tell them before my probation is up. It's very worrying that they could just say I wasn't very good at my job and fail my probation and leave me with not very much at all. If your probation is 3 months I would definitely suggest you wait until after then, you never know their mood!

[TheGoldenApplesOfTheSun]

Same happened to me, don't tell them before you join and have worked a bit (and certainly don't tell them until you have signed contract!) My new place we're actually really lovely about it but I was bricking it when about to tell them.

It helped to read stuff on the Pregnant Then Screwed website. Did you know you are automatically considered to have been fired for being pregnant if you reveal a pregnancy and then lose your job? It's down to the employer to try to prove they weren't discriminating, which was helpful to hear. Prospect of a tribunal is obviously still worrying but I had the reassurance that I'm a member of a union that would have paid my legal costs and found me a lawyer.

[TheGoldenApplesOfTheSun]

Definitely recommend joining a union before you tell them, just in case that'll help.

[lucymagoo]

I didn't know that! @TheGoldenApplesOfTheSun that's so reassuring thank you

[dinosaur17]

@FurBabyMum02
I was in your position, had to give quite a long notice period in my previous job and found out we were expecting about half way into my notice. Took a long time for me to get a start date for my new job after accepting my offer (about 7months), so I started my new post at about 11 weeks pregnant. Told them when I was about 14 weeks and they’ve been fine, although I expect not thrilled. But realistically, what can they say. I’m having a baby if they like it or not!
If you’re worried you’ve got no obligation to tell them until 25 weeks (I think?). Even if they’re not overly pleased, they’d have a hard time proving they’d let you go during your probationary period because of something unrelated to your pregnancy. Most employers know it’s quite damming going to a lengthy tribunal when you’d probably be back from mat leave time it’s resolved!

[WhiteCloud6]

I started my job at 24 weeks pregnant! I went to the interview and was offered the job with the salary I wanted before saying you can probably tell I'm pregnant. They still took me on and I'm 5 weeks away from going on maternity leave at 38 weeks, they have been so supportive of my pregnancy and I couldn't ask for better employers! I don't qualify for their maternity package so I have had to apply for maternity allowance which the HR department happily helped me with the forms to ensure they were all correct before sending off!