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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:
DotaDay · 02/09/2015 09:08

I'd just show it and not worry about it. It wouldn't bother me. Confused

It also wouldn't bother me if someone saw that the father bit was left blank.

balletgirlmum · 02/09/2015 09:14

This will be about Safeguarding

In schools & other settings with children you have to account for your full work history. Any gaps have to bw accounted for so they can be sure you didn't work somewhere but had to leave because you were accused of something etc.

Fluffyears · 02/09/2015 09:22

It could be to do with disclosure. On the disclosure Scotland form that you need to work with children you must fill in a certain time period with no blanks. If you weren't working you must provide evidence to say why.

hattyhatter · 02/09/2015 09:23

Maybe a CHB letter would be acceptable, if the purpose is to account for your work history.

mabythesea · 02/09/2015 09:27

I'd imagine they want to check on any gap in your employment history, but I wouldn't hand over my children's birth certificates.

ohtheholidays · 02/09/2015 09:28

I've worked with children from very young babies up in many different settings and I've never once been asked to show any of my children's birth certificates.That sounds really odd to me.

Original poster
BeeeeHappy · 02/09/2015 11:39

Hi everyone thanks for the answers.
Sonny it's not a goverment body just a normal nursery. I actually had an interview for a receptionist in a hospital and they never asked me for all this and I would be accessing patient records.

Essex she did say it was about proving gaps in employment but I didn't have maternity leave, I just left as the company was closing anyway and I was 7months pregnant.
I just choose to not work for a year but I underdtand what you mean

OP posts:
Original poster
BeeeeHappy · 02/09/2015 11:42

Lol mummy time im from London, I asked this on another site and all anyone was interested in is why my child's father is unknown so my back was up asking here but everyone's been really helpful

OP posts:
Brummiegirl15 · 02/09/2015 11:43

You would only show your child's birth certificate if it was relevant to THEM - for example as a previous poster said for nursery, school, doctor or opening a bank account.

For your job it is not appropriate and not relevant. You are the data subject and all data should be relevant to you. Your child is not the data subject and therefore as a data controller (the employer) under the data protection act, all information held about an individual should be relevant.

Your child isn't applying for a job! This is why your date of birth isn't relevant when you apply and you only show your passport to prove you have the right to live and work in the UK.

So up to you whether you show it - but under the act, you are absolutely not required to and I would be quoting the data protection act to them.

If it was to do with safeguarding you'd be having CRB checks through the relevant agencies anyway!

Cheeky feckers!!!

lemoncordial · 02/09/2015 11:48

I understand why you're uncomfortable with it.

Having your dd's birth certificate doesn't prove anything anyway. I guess they want to check you hadn't got sacked from a job and had hid it from them. That could have happened since your dd was born.

If I really wanted the job and they wouldn't back down then I'd do it.

JeffreysMummyisCross · 02/09/2015 11:55

I can't see that they have any right to ask this.

The birth certificate is not yours. It contains your child's data. They have no right to it.

If you do end up showing them the certificate, I suggest that you cover up the father's details (and watch them while they scan it) and tell them that he has not consented to his details being made available to a third party.

Dollius01 · 02/09/2015 11:57

No. This document is your child's personal property. This employer has no business looking at it.

They want proof of gaps in employment? Who are they? The Pentagon?
Completely ridiculous.

The problem, of course, is they will put you down as difficult and won't offer you the job.

At every job interview I have attended since having children I have been asked how I will manage childcare. Completely illegal, but what am I going to do about it? I have always smiled sweetly and answered as a result, but I hugely resent it.

frazzledbutcalm · 02/09/2015 11:59

That's outrageous! I would absolutely not give my dc birth certificate in this situation. As pp said, I'd contact Head Office and query it. Even if you were offered the job I still don't see why they need or have a right to see your dc birth certificate. It's simply not relevant.

IssyStark · 02/09/2015 12:06

OP: do you have anything else, like CB letters which would suffice. I can completely understand their wish to show why gaps in employment record, but I think having your child's birth certificate is not on (and as other's have mentioned, illegal under the DPA).

However I'm more Shock that you leta company rather than go on maternity leave: even if a company is closing down, you are entitled to SMP or SMA. Did you get any statutory maternity allowance? If so, any letters you have relating to that should be enough for HR.

Lweji · 02/09/2015 12:07

What if you had lost the baby? Would you need to show a certificate? Hmm

Alternatively, you could show up with your child to show that she has been born. :)

References from your previous manager should suffice.
I'm surprised such personal details are demanded. You didn't even have to tell them you had been pregnant or had a child.

Birdsgottafly · 02/09/2015 12:09

""If it was to do with safeguarding you'd be having CRB checks through the relevant agencies anyway! ""

But if she had of "committed an offence" and the Nursery closed, to get get a bad name, it wouldn't show up.

I've known Adult Care Homes/Agencies to do that, because the management have been so bad, the staff have neglected etc the Service Users. Often if there has been questionable behaviour and the place is closing, it will be let go.

I've known Nurseries to do that. You would be amazed at the treatment of vulnerable people that Staff get away with.

Many people skip through the net, this way.

OP, it sounds as though the Nursery that your applying to, takes Safeguarding and Staff Management seriously, which is a good thing.

Birdsgottafly · 02/09/2015 12:11

""I'm surprised such personal details are demanded. ""

You do when your going to be working with vulnerable client groups.

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 02/09/2015 12:32

Is she assuming that your child will take up a place at the nursery if you get the job? I can think of no other reason why they might request this?

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 02/09/2015 12:41

Did you receive SMP or Maternity Allowance during your maternity leave? If so, the paperwork for that would fill the gap without disclosing your child's details.

I assume this relates to them doing an enhanced DBS check.

hibbleddible · 02/09/2015 12:47

Good idea about showing paper work re maternity allowance or smp if you are embarrassed about the BC.

Milliband's child/ren do not have him on their birth certificate, as they weren't married and he wasn't present at the registration. It's not that unusual, so no need to be embarrassed.

AuroraTeagarden · 02/09/2015 12:53

I would be tempted to show them a redacted copy - with all unnecessary information blanked out... So - your name as mother, the date of birth and everything else is covered by a big black box!

And this is the nest of vipers here.. anyone calling you a 'hoe' would get blasted out of the web. possibly just for spelling alone!

Curioushorse · 02/09/2015 12:53

Yeah, it does sound mad, but they have to fill in the dBS application on your behalf and they are definitely just trying to account for a gap in employment. Maternity leave is easier to account for than unemployment.

Lweji · 02/09/2015 12:54

The birth certificate proves very little in relation to gaps in employment.
You could easily have returned to paid work after a few months. Even weeks, if you wanted to.

You can never prove that you didn't work. At best that you were on maternity leave or JSA, or something. They can only ask for proof of employment.

I'd be confirming why they asked for it, refute the need to, and perhaps refer it to whatever work regulator if they insisted on it.

Werksallhourz · 02/09/2015 12:59

Do you still have your NHS maternity card? Would that do instead? After all, it has the dates of when you applied and when the maternity funding ends and doesn't carry details of your child.

mabythesea · 02/09/2015 13:00

A DBS application doesn't need to account for gaps in employment Curioushorse.