Should I accept a new job knowing Im pregnant?

[BrandySnaps1]

Ive been offered a new full time role. Im currently doing temp work as and when after taking a career break which is leaving us short on money every month. Ive hardly earnt anything since the beginning of this year

Im 6 weeks pregnant and dont know whether to accept the job or when i need to legally tell them. i know most companies dont even offer maternity if you havent been there for a year.

Money wise I would defintely take it , but not sure how i will feel during the next few months

I would absolutely take it, as you said depending on the policy of the company you'll be working for you may not get full maternity pay, however you will have a job to come back to after maternity leave and sometimes that's worth more.

If you find something better in the meantime you can change.

No need to tell them. Just take the job. I’ve worked a long time and have seen woman start careers knowing they are expecting, most cases people are really pleased for them.

Absolutely take it.

A company wouldn’t give you a second thought. Take
the job, they will just have to deal with any mat leave etc.

You do what’s best for you.

Thank you all. The job is 2 hours away and because of the distance the hiring lady and I both agreed it wouldnt work initally, this was a few weeks ago. But to my surprise she called me back yesterday after interviewing other ppl and said she kept coming back to me. If I need to be in the office for 1/2 days in a row they will put me up in a hotel and will work around the distance.

So mostly wfh with occasional office trips. I dont know why i feel bad about eventually telling her. She asked me a few times if im able to travel for work/school holidays and what my home situation is. I said i dont have children.

I cant help feel that shes going to be cheesed off when she finds out, but right now i really need the money.

That changes things a bit in my mind.

Not because you’d be doing anything wrong, but because it sounds like you’d be seriously risking a pretty bad environment to work in when you’d had the baby. Having a shit employer is no fun.

That said, you might need to weigh up the potential stress of her being annoyed/them being inflexible and unhelpful/you being away from baby when you’re back for a night or two a week vs your situation if you don’t take the job.

You're going to get posters on here championing you and saying 'you go for it gurrrrrl!!! You're ENTITLED.' but I think it's really wrong to not tell them.

Honestly, it's things like this that make life more difficult for women in the workplace (and make employers not want to employ women of childbearing age!)

Starting a new job pregnant - and not telling them - especially when you say they will be cheesed off... Why? Why would you do that?

.

I agree, I hate this attitude. It's dishonest and frustrating for the employer. Be honest.

I mean, worst case scenario. You start, work for the next 7 months, save like a demon then quit if you don't feel like you deserve the mat pay.

You'll be in a better position then you are now and surely you will feel the same about any other role you get in the meantime time, just with less time to do any work.

If it were me I would start and see how it goes. I don't think you need to tell them until 24 weeks I think. It would be very believable to say you were unaware when you took the job if you are only 6 weeks. You can always tell them a couple of weeks after starting if it weighs on your conscious. 6 weeks is very early.

I work in HR and recommend you take the job.

Companies need to carry a certain amount of sick leave, mat leave etc and they should just be agile enough to deal with that. It's a fact of life.

You've still got some time before you need to disclose it also....

You don’t have a proper job at the moment and you’re losing money. Even if this isn’t a job you can do long term, you need it for the next 6-7 months.

You’re six weeks. It’s entirely feasible you wouldn’t know about the pregnancy yet.

They keep circling back to you. They are willing to work around the distance issues for you. It seems they are looking for a unicorn and you’re it.

Take the job.

Yes of course they take the job. They desperately need someone. Having someone good for 9 month is better than nobody. it’s a company/business, not personal. You do your job well, tell them when you are over 12 weeks and then they have more than enough time to sort out cover.
plus unfortunately as PP said 6 weeks is still early days so you never know what might happen.

i took a job 3 months pregnant and it wasn’t an issue at all plus I needed the money and they desperately needed someone to fill the role.

Because she owes them nothing, it’s a work contract not a personal relationship.
because lots of things can happen at 6 weeks.
because obviously they really need someone and having someone for 8 months is better than nobody.
because such is life, and no one needs to be cheesed off because someone is pregnant. People have babies, take extended sick leave, have accidents, take parental leave rtc. It’s just life!!! A business can cope!
Because OP is short on money and needs to
feed a baby soon too. A working parent is better than someone relying on UC and benefits.

what’s more important- that a pregnant woman really needs the money takes a secure job or that POTENTIALLY an unknown HR lady might be pissed of for a day or two?

Because im only 6 weeks.
Because i need the money.
Because if they really need to find cover im sure they can.
And obviously she liked me because even after i said the distance is too much she has come back to me again.

Why should i disclose something so early on, like others have said anything can happen in the first trimester? And also a business is a business, she thinks im the best person for the job and if they are cheesed off that im pregnant its not a company id like to work for anyway even after the baby

Thanks for nothing, and your close minded opinion.

@BrandySnaps1 just ignore the idiots, well done for getting the job and congratulations on your pregnancy. Hope all goes well

You are so spot on.

Its mostly wfh, i could come back to work quite soon after having the baby.

She did mention a conference in sept which is when im due. and i know she asked about my home life situation because they may need me to travel at short notice, which atm i can do. i didnt lie about that. I dont have children currently, but like you say life changes and things happen. Why should i reject a job for the next 9 months when i am perfectly fit to work?

Thank you. This is what im planning to do. If they still want me after the baby and i like the company, if not, ill quit and find something else.

When did everyone get so precious? We're just numbers to employers anyway, i have a baby i will need to take of.

So you don't need to tell them until your qualifying week, which is week 25. However although you'll be entitled to maternity leave you won't be entitled to maternity pay from the employer, you'll have to claim maternity allowance instead. "Back in my day" it was less than SMP and was claimed via DWP/job centre but I've no idea if that's still the case.

OK, so why ask the question here then?

I was about to take on a great job when our youngest started school- but was unable to take it because a new colleague of DH started a job knowing she was pregnant- He was landed with taking up the slack because she was ill most of the time and then maternity leave. This meant our plans were scuppered with sharing child-care and I had to give up my own dream job. I was furious.

As a mother and woman, and later senior manager, I think it is dishonest, and give all women a bad reputation. No wonder some employers would rather not employ them, sadly.

Again, why ask here if you have made up your mind.

@fleurneige that’s just bad management at your husband’s firm. You had to give up your job because someone else went on mat leave or because your husband was incapable of negotiating flexible working (or not willing to)?

Not all jobs can be flexible. For DH, it truly was not.

You could tell them now?

That would put them on the horns of a dilemma because if they decided to turn you down, it would be a clear case of discrimination. So I think you have nothing to lose.

Thats on your DHs firm. Not on the pregnant woman who started.

And you sound so selfish. Blaming her and being 'furious' at her and her future baby because you didnt get your dream job at the time. Whats more important, her pregnancy or your job? Get over yourself.

Isnt 6 weeks way too early to disclose it to anyone? I havent even told my mum! Let alone a random HR lady who Ive only spoken to on zoom.

It's not the norm so early but it's an option rather than turning the job down if you feel bad about it?

I think I would just say nothing and take the job. They can't legally turn you down.