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 take the job. 6 weeks is very early and I wouldn't tell about my pregnancy to anybody at that stage. I would keep going and see that all progresses well and baby is ok before I disclose the pregnancy.

I never understand the argument that you shouldn't take a job if you're pregnant, especially only 6 weeks. If you're of childbearing age, I'd assume as an employer that you are likely to have children at some point during your employment. That's up to a year of maternity leave that will need to be covered at some point in the future. If she took the job a year ago, she may well have still got pregnant now/had that conference in the diary. It doesn't make a difference. The only difference here is that the OP knows she is pregnant at the time of interview is concerned that she's doing something wrong, which she isn't.

Those with small businesses saying that they'd be up shit creek if someone did this to them, would it be the same if you had another employer who had been employed for say, 1/2/3/4 months, then got pregnant and took maternity leave?

To be honest I would find my job more important than your pregnancy. Your pregnancy doesn't matter to me at all.

Newsflash op, being pregnant doesn't make you more valuable than other people. Your behaviour on this thread is nasty.

And this is why it's more difficult for women of child bearing age to get a job offer. The maternity leave, the time off for appointments, etc. Someone who is pregnant but doesn't mention it at the start is dishonest. Nobody is saying it's wrong to be pregnant at interview stage but just be bloody honest!

Personally I think it's better to be honest, but obviously it's your decision.

With the extra info you've given about a) it being a 2 hour commute (once a week) and b) you might need to travel at short notice, realistically in a few months time, you might seriously struggle with this. Travelling away from home every week if you're tired, nauseous etc is no picnic. No doubt she told you these things because she wanted to check you're physically up to it and you confirmed that you are but haven't mentioned something that could significantly impact that.

Obviously it's your decision but I think honesty is the best approach.

Yes you should accept it.

You don't need your tell until 25 weeks

But they need to know if you want paid time off for appointments.

I have experience of this (sort of) and definitely take the job.

My advice is to remember the long term. You may be off on mat leave soon after starting, but really a baby could come along at any point in your career with them. Work should be understanding and professional about it. I did have a similar

Agree with this. Ignore the idiots.

So what would you do?

Withdraw the job offer because she's pregnant? You know that's illegal

..posted to soon.

similar crisis of conscience but really, it’s a professional environment and it’s not immoral to be pregnant or have a baby.

I did end up telling my employer before I started. They were lovely about it and I’m still with the same organisation now; the DC I was pregnant with is now 4.

It was slightly tricker having to claim maternity allowance instead of SMP and was annoying as I lost out on the excellent contractual pay benefits of my previous employer, but it was again worth it in the long term.

I felt better telling them because I had suffered terribly from morning sickness in my first pregnancy and pretty badly in my second, so especially considering probation, I wanted everything to be transparent. Luckily for me I wasn’t too ill, had been through it before so knew best what snacks and drinks etc I could have to make it easier, and probation went perfectly.

It was odd only being there for around 4 months before going off on leave, but my baby was a 2020 baby so coincided with the massive work from home shift.

The only difference between my situation and yours was that I found out very shortly (literally the day) after handing in my notice from work after I’d been offered the new job.

Its a whirlwind but if you wanted the new job, it’s more than worth it!

That's terrible!

Also @BrandySnaps1 I really don't care if you don't like my 'closed minded' views. You ASKED for views and I gave them. If you can't take my opinions and are going to throw your toys out of the pram because I am not saying what you want to hear that's on you. If you only wanted people to post to say 'oh yes do it! You go for it.' and support you in it, you should have made that more clear in your original post!

Frankly I think taking on a new job knowing you are pregnant, and NOT TELLING the employer is wrong on so many levels! As I said, and a few others have said, it's women doing things like this who make life hard in the workplace for other (childbearing age) women!

@DinnaeFashYersel

Ignore the idiots @BrandySnaps1

Posters on here saying you are wrong to do this are not IDIOTS .. They have the right to say anyone who is considering this is in the wrong in their opinion! Calling people IDIOTS for having a different view that YOU don't like, says more about you frankly.

I don't CARE if 'it's allowed,' and women don't HAVE to tell the potential employer, it's just wrong IMO, to start a new job pregnant, and not let the new employer know,

It's one of those cases where 'just because you CAN do something, that doesn't necessarily mean you SHOULD.'
.

We had that happen to us once in the NHS. The specialty we were recruiting for was on it;s absolute knees, desperate for replacement staff - but the budget would only cover two doctors. The consutltants were so relieved they were finally getting ward cover. We offered the job to the first doctor, no issues. Took the second one into the room, offered the job, and her very next words were "Well I need to tell you I'll be leaving for maternity leave". Everyone was utterly stunned. And the ward then had no spare cover. It was incredibly selfish of her, and I still remember so clearly how angry the consultant interviewers were over it though legally they couldn;t voice too much about it. "Well, we're fucked" about summed up the mood after she left.

Of course they’re idiots if thinking that daring to be pregnant while starting a new role is some kind of obscene underhanded act.

If it was an issue for anyone but crap employers, then there would be earlier legal obligation to tell employers, and it wouldn’t be literally illegal to discriminate against pregnancy when employing people.

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

Its ironic how this blatant misogyny is plastered all around mumsnet, a site mainly for women and mothers.

Human females get pregnant and carry children. People are human first and employees second. Fancy referring to women, half the fucking population, and saying “ah it’s a shame no wonder employers don’t like to employ women”.

Make it make sense.

Did you miss the bit where she said 'SHE IS NOT GOING TO TELL THEM SHE IS PREGNANT!'

FFS!

And as I said, just because you CAN DO SOMETHING by law, that doesn't always mean you necessarily SHOULD do it!

THIS is one of those instances!

/

Because she still needs to earn money for the next 8 months

Someone else with zero comprehension skills. FINE to start a job pregnant. But OP said she is NOT telling the employer!

Being on this thread is like talking to a brick wall honestly!

She is not legally obliged to tell them.

What difference does telling employers early make? She will be taking mat leave regardless.

What does telling a potential employer before the offer make, other than giving the employer the opportunity to try and withdraw the offer of employment?

If you know that travel is part of the requirements, how do you feel about it - realistically you may not want to be away from home every week, and potentially flying etc. can you see yourself doing the role they are hiring for with a one year old in nursery?

If you do like the look of the job I'd be tempted to tell them, if they like you they could then craft the job to something that you can do with a child

Again, what difference does this make?

They will know she’s pregnant when she follows the already established processes around informing an employer of pregnancy.

@SnowflakeSparkles

What difference does telling employers early make? She will be taking mat leave regardless.

I literally give up.

@SweetBirdsong

Ok I will take back idiots and say that they are supporting and enabling the continuation of the patriarchy.

Actually I will stick with idiots as that covers it nicely.

@DinnaeFashYersel

I really don't care!