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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to apply for a permanent job when I'm preggers?

68 replies

noeyedear · 14/07/2010 12:44

I've just found out I'm pregnant, which I would be overjoyed about, if it wasn't for the fact I've just been made redundant and my DH's job is also at risk. I have been applying for jobs, as I need to at least work until the baby is due. I know I wouldn't get maternity benefits etc, but is it just cr*p to turn up and then say 'actually, I'm pregnant and I need to bugger off for 6 months or more?" We could live on DH's salary and tax credits, but if DH loses his job we would be royally screwed. We have never been unemployed so we have a fairly large mortgage and bills. I have no idea how we would pay them if both of us were out of work.

OP posts:
tethersend · 14/07/2010 12:54

What's the job?

MumNWLondon · 14/07/2010 13:07

Apply for permanent and temporary jobs, and see what happens. Its a bit crap to turn up and say you are pregnant but you are protected by the law and you wouldn't be the first to do this, and depending on how much you liked the job you could just taken a couple of months off....

An

Starbuck999 · 14/07/2010 13:47

Well unless it is obvious then i certainly wouldn't offer the information that you are pregnant when you go for th einterview or indeed until you are through your probation.

Of course you are protected by the law in the sense that they cannot legally refuse you the job because you are pregnant, but they could use many many other reasons to hide the real reason!

fuzzypicklehead · 14/07/2010 13:55

I did exactly that--applied for a great permanent job and told them I was pregnant at interview. And I got it! They were pleased that I was up front with them because it made it easier to plan my mat leave.

Chil1234 · 14/07/2010 14:09

I did the same as fuzzypicklehead and with the same outcome...

Original poster
noeyedear · 14/07/2010 15:16

Thats interesting Fuzzypicklehead and Chil1234. I suppose if I told them at interview, there wouldn't be any deception involved. It's a teaching job, so would start in September, then I would go off in February half term and come back in September 2011, I suppose. I know I'm protected by the law, but there could be all sorts of reasons why they could get rid of someone unrelated to pregnancy, and the teaching profession is quite small, as in someone always know someone who worked with someone at that school, so my reputation could be shot- not to mention the dirty looks etc!

OP posts:
rubbersoul · 14/07/2010 15:39

Would it be possible to get some supply work? If you do get an interview could you keep quiet then tell them in Septmeber that you found out over the summer? (depending on how far gone you are)

Congratulations by the way

tethersend · 14/07/2010 15:54

Apply anyway. Tell them when they offer you the job.

In teaching, it's best to up front I think- if they really want you, they will appoint you regardless.

Congratulations and good luck.

Original poster
noeyedear · 14/07/2010 16:11

Thanks I was thinking of supply. It may be less stressful than going into a a new job and I presume I'd be entitled to Maternity allowance. I'd only be about 14 weeks in September, so i could wait until then, but I'd still feel terrible about it. I might apply and if I get the job, tell them and if not do supply. Thanks for the congratulations- all I've had so far is 'oh f*!'Poor baby!

OP posts:
diamondsandtiaras · 14/07/2010 16:26

I did it. I got made redundant from my job as a PA when I was about 6 weeks pregnant and got another job quite quickly after being recommended by my boss.........I chose not to tell them at interview because I knew that in a completely male dominated workplace I wouldn't get the job. Plus because I was so early in pregnancy I was well aware that it may not work out anyway. I told them when I was abot 15 weeks and starting to show. They were very nice about it but refused to let me return part time after my mat leave (their way of getting their own back possibly??) so I am now a SAHM.

I would do it again......we would have been royally screwed without me in employment (no savings and already a fair amount of debt etc etc). I genuinely believe we would have ended up bankrupt if I hadn't gotten the job.

capricorn76 · 14/07/2010 17:28

As an employer in a very small business I think its deeply unfair to deceive your prospective employer about a pregnancy. As others have said you should tell them at the interview, it can work out.

If someone took a job from me then told me they were pregnant after probation I would be fu*ked as it takes a lot of time to train someone, get them to know the clients and visa versa only for them to say they'll be off again in 5 months or so. I'm also pregnant and one employee has just gone on maternity leave so we wouldn't be able to cope with someone else just turning up then leaving again.

rubbersoul · 14/07/2010 18:56

I understand where you're coming from capricorn76 but sometimes women don't have much of a choice, as in needing to earn money to pay the bills and keep a roof over their heads. I've known women who have found it near impossible to get work when they've been honest and told prospective employers they are pregnant. I think it's a situation that many people find themselves in, especially in the current climate.

larks35 · 14/07/2010 19:01

capricorn76, are you saying you would not employ someone on the grounds of them being pregnant? very, very dodgy...

larks35 · 14/07/2010 19:06

if you are early days in pregnancy it would be "tempting fate" to announce it to strangers at an interview. FWIW, I didn't know for sure, but was aware I could be pregnant when I was interviewed for my current job. I did inform them as soon as I had my scan and was through the 1st trimester. By the time the job started, I was 5 months pregnant and quite a few people "raised eyebrows", but what was I to do? Remain unemployed and then struggle to get work once baby was born? I only took 6months maternity and have been back at work for a year now. I think I've proved my worth and no-one seems to remember I was off on maternity last year.

kveta · 14/07/2010 19:16

I was interviewd for a job the day before finding out I was pregnant - didn't hear from them, so assumed I hadn't got it, then was offered it the day before my first scan. So I wrote to them after the scan, told them I was pregnant and it was still early days (8 weeks), and although I'd love to work for them, could understand them not wanting to employ me.

I'm now back at work part time after 7 months maternity leave, and my boss is talking about finding funding to extend my contract as it's working out so well.

Tell them if you're offered the job, but otherwise, there's no need to mention it.

MumNWLondon · 14/07/2010 19:27

I would only tell them once they'd offered the job IN WRITING. It would be too easy otherwise for them to find some other "reason" for not hiring.

Otherwise look for supply work to get by on until the baby is born and then you can look for a permanent job later....

Original poster
noeyedear · 14/07/2010 20:17

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think I'll just 'commit to the process' as my wannabe life coach friend says and see what happens. I do understand Capricorn76 that to have to fund someone on maternity leave just a few months after they had started is more than annoying, and I remember hearing about women who did that and thought they were a bit unreasonable, but now I'm in that position, I understand why people do it. They can't afford to have no job with a baby on the way. I think I will tell them if I'm offered the job and see what they say. It may all be academic, as I may not get it, although I have hit all the things on the person spec!

OP posts:
rubbersoul · 14/07/2010 22:28

Good luck noeyedear, I hope it works out for you!

And remember, try not to feel guilty or worried about people's reactions- this is meant to be a happy time for you and your OH

hairytriangle · 14/07/2010 22:34

Capricorn as an employer, I think you're being very unfair. It comes with the territory that people can go on maternity leave, sickness, resign at any time. i also run a business. Yes, it's difficult, but it is part of being an employer.

funnysinthegarden · 14/07/2010 22:37

I also got a good job when 5 months pregnant. They waited for me to have my baby and have 'maternity leave'.

Am starting my new job fulltime in August, nearly a year after I got the job.

Don't be put off, I too was desperate, having just been made redundant.

Don't tell them until you are fairly sure you have the job though.

You owe them nothing, as being made redundant taught me!

DoYouWantToKnowASecret · 14/07/2010 22:44

It depends on the company you will work for. In teaching, HTs can get back the money for your mat leave from gvt so no worries. If it were a small business I would say YABU.

funnysinthegarden · 14/07/2010 22:48

You don't need to pay maternity leave, just arrange to employ the person after the baby is born, if they are the right person for the role.

CJ80 · 14/07/2010 23:16

My case a little different, I found out on the 8th day in my new job that I was pregnant and was quite nervous about telling my boss. However, she was great. Because I hadn't been there very long at all, I didn't qualify for either SMP or their enhanced package, I've had to claim Maternity Allowance through the Jobcentre.

So my employers haven't had to pay me, but I've had the security of knowing I have a job to go back to. Ideally, it could have had better timing but these things happen and I wouldn't change having had DD for the world. I go back to work in 3 months, 4 days a week, as I was employed on a full time basis they couldn't drop my hours too much, but it should be fine.

CJ80 · 14/07/2010 23:17

sorry, my case is a little different, I seem to have lost the ability to type all of what I am thinking!

IFancyKevinELevin · 14/07/2010 23:25

I did it, I was 8 weeks though so didn't want to tell anyone for personal reasons.

It was for Maternity Cover contract too .

And it was for ELC! I saved a bloody fortune!

I told them as soon as viable, and they could have let me go, but didn't, plus they paid my company car allowance on top of SMP.

Sadly, from both our sides, they didn't have a permanent job on my return from 6 months mat leave.

I didn't feel bad, I made them £35 million while I was there, more than 18% over their plan! And they didn't have to pay me bonus.

It was win win. I still feel very loyal to the company now, years later.

You are only obliged to tell them at 15 weeks aren't you. ( I may be out of sync these days, but you can check mat law)

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