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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not feel comfortable showing my daughters birth certificate to a job

54 replies

BeeeeHappy · 02/09/2015 04:23

I had an interview earlier, it was in a nursery, working as the receptionist. I was asked why I left my last job and i said the company closed down and I was pregnant.
The lady then said I will need to show them my daughters BC to prove when she was born.
Whilst I understand the nesscary checks what does this have to do with the job? They can google and see the company closed shortly after I left and my old manager can back me up.
She asked me to bring the BC in later on today so they can scan it to HR.
(I haven't been offered the job yet)

Aibu to not want this?

On my daughters BC the father is listed as unknown
(If you want to call me a hoe go ahead heard it all before Hmm )
I don't want them to see this.
I don't know if This is why my backs up or if others who do have the father listed would mind?
Would you mind?
Aibu?

OP posts:
SavoyCabbage · 02/09/2015 04:26

Hell no! That is madness!

So she's saying that she doesn't believe you for a start! And the old job would have ended anyway.

Baconyum · 02/09/2015 04:28

No way! I would not be interested in working for a company that operated this way!!

References should be perfectly adequate. Would they ask a man applying for this job who'd been a sahd the same? I highly doubt it.

MsJamieFraser · 02/09/2015 04:33

I would question it, I would not be giving them my DC BC over tho.

Also you could have left the fathers part of the BC blank you did not need to put unknown on.

Original poster
BeeeeHappy · 02/09/2015 04:33

Thanks for answering, I been up for hours googling this because I thought it was a strange request, it's been playing on my mind. I'm just going to say I'm not interested in the job.

OP posts:
Original poster
BeeeeHappy · 02/09/2015 04:39

MsJamie it just has a line where the father should be but if they saw it they would either think he was unknown or not around.

OP posts:
LyndaNotLinda · 02/09/2015 04:52

You can get long and short BCs - the short on doesn't have the parents on it which is what I used when my DS started school. But in any case, I'd tell them to bog off.

BathshebaDarkstone · 02/09/2015 04:58

It's a very odd request! YANBU! I've never been asked to provide any of my DC's birth certificates! Shock

MsJamieFraser · 02/09/2015 05:09

Aw op that means nothing, as far as they need could no, he could not attend when you registered your DC.

I though my new job took the piss, I've had to have credit checks, enhanced CRB checks, had to have a medical and a psychological evaluation Hmm and had to hand in 3 different ID's and also have 4 references Hmm

Some companies go way OTT, I think I would have put my foot down however.

In saying that you could hand them in a tax credit form? As that has your DD DOB on it?

MsJamieFraser · 02/09/2015 05:10

*know... Blush it is 5am Hmm no idea why I'm awake

OddSocksHighHeels · 02/09/2015 05:13

Shock no way should they be asking this! It can't possibly be relevant to the job and any person judging you for not having the father on the BC can be told to fuck off as well. Nobody's business but yours OP. Have they explained why they think they're entitled to this info?

charlestonchaplin · 02/09/2015 05:20

You started it by saying you left your last employment due to pregnancy. If you were out of a job due to the company closing down, why mention that? I have no idea whether she is allowed to ask to see your daughter's birth certificate, I suspect not for various reasons, one being it isn't evidence of why you left your last job, but it would be better to not mention things you don't want people to consider. Maybe she wants the information for some other reason.

Samantha28 · 02/09/2015 05:23

You've not been offered the job yet ?

OddSocksHighHeels · 02/09/2015 05:31

charles I think it probably is best not to mention DC in an interview because some people will discrimate on that basis. It isn't right but some will. Having said that, I don't think it's right to say OP started it. They shouldn't be asking for a BC. It just isn't necessary at all and has nothing to do with the job.

insancerre · 02/09/2015 06:39

Tell them you are not providing the birth certificate as they would be breaching the data protection act by making a copy and scanning it
Or just say you've lost it
I manage a nursery and ask to see children's birth certificates as we need to know who has parental responsibility. That means we need to see the long copy with both parents on. We also ask for a utility bill for funded children
But I don't ask the staff anything about their children. Pretty sure its not allowed

XCChamps · 02/09/2015 07:05

I think it's outrageous that they've asked but unless you're prepared to walk away from the job you're going to have to comply
Query it and make them justify it, but if they won't budge your only option would be to take legal advice (free through through Working Families). I think that would prove you right but you wouldn't end up working there or have any right to compensation, as you haven't worked there 2 years.

I'd question whether you want the job but obviously not that simple

InimitableJeeves · 02/09/2015 07:33

I suggest you contact the HR company direct and ask whether the person interviewing you has this right, as you don't understand why the company needs it and it is not data they are entitled to hold under the DPA. It may be that it was a simple mistake by the interviewer.

gabsdot45 · 02/09/2015 08:28

I would call them out on it and ask why exactly they need to see the BC, don't they believe you? Hopefully they'll be a bit embarrassed. Then tell them that you could never work for a company who treat interviewees in such a way, because they must treat their employees even worse.
Don't let them away with this. It's out of order.

StealthPolarBear · 02/09/2015 08:33

I hope the interviewer got told something like "you need to ask to see all certificates" and is a bit dim

hookedonamoonagedaydream · 02/09/2015 08:38

How odd, is it some paranoid check that the have decided is a good idea to stop people pretending that they have children, just so that they stand a better chance of getting the job, and therefore access to children?

KanyeWestPresidentForLife · 02/09/2015 08:47

I wouldn't do it. But I think most people are fairly clued up that there are various reasons why father's aren't on the birth certificate these days and wouldn't bat an eyelid. For all they know you could have gone to the sperm bank! There's no stigma these days.

DoreenLethal · 02/09/2015 08:49

Very odd. I'd write the job off [as I wouldn't want to work for that sort of organisation anyway], but be very insistent that they needed to provide written evidence of why exactly they need it, what it proves, why they don't believe me [like someone would just make up having a child] and what relevance it has to the whole interview proceedings.

I mean - if they don't believe someone over having a child, what else are they not likely to believe. It's a very very odd thing to query - let alone the DP aspects.

At the end of the letter asking for the above, I'd probably ask if they needed me to help them to rewrite the Fair and Effective Recruitment guidelines as I am sure that asking for that could be proven to be discriminatory in several aspects, and that my Private Hire rates are extremely competitive.

Pico2 · 02/09/2015 08:54

I'd ask to speak to the HR person.

SonnyNoChance · 02/09/2015 08:55

Is this the NHS or another goverment body?

EssexGurl · 02/09/2015 08:55

When I worked in HR (admittedly finance so a different sector) we were required to get proof of a persons work history for a certain length of time, usually 5 years. Normally this was through references. But if there was a break in work history we needed to prove why. It might be that they were travelling so we asked for passport visas for example.

For you, there are two distinct periods here. When you worked for the company that closed down. Then your maternity leave. You have paperwork to show your employment. If you were not employed during maternity then you need proof as to why you did not find another job. A birth certificate is a good way of proving that. I can understand why they are asking as it fills the gap with a reason for you not working.

To put in context - I once had someone claim to be travelling for a year. Could not prove it through paper trail. Turned out he had been in prison for drug dealing! It was not the drug dealing that was the issue for my firm per se but the fact he had lied.

Referencing nowadays is all about proving someone is who they say they are.

mummytime · 02/09/2015 08:57

Is it with MI6? Or some even more secret organisation?

Actually those guys just go and talk to your friends, neighbours etc.

But where are you from where people "me a hoe go ahead heard it all before"? Because that is seriously weird in all places I've been (and for at least the last 20/30 years).

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