To ask what you would do if you were in my position?

[cartonwheel]

I've had an offer of employment come through and now I'm stuck on what the best thing to do is, take it or stay where I am?

I really like my job and the people I work with but I work in a sector which is going to be shutting completely during lockdown and I know that there is a big chance of being made redundant after as I've already had my hours cut. If I knew this was not going to happen, I would 100% stay for as long as I possibly can.

The reason I'm wary of taking this job is that I'm currently 9 weeks pregnant so by the time I start, I will be showing and will have to tell them that I am pregnant around the time I start. Due to a 3 month probationary period, they could get rid of me because of being pregnant and justify it as 'you're not the right person for our business' and be completely within their rights to do so, no questions asked. This is a completely different job to what I'm doing now and I know I wouldn't enjoy it as much as I enjoy my current role.

If I stick with my current job, the salary is a bit less but it's a job I enjoy and vice versa for the new job. I would qualify for SMP which I wouldn't at the new job. I'm stuck on what to do because if I am made redundant, I would have nowhere else to go and I cannot afford to lose out on my salary, especially while pregnant.

So I'd like to ask you - what would you do if you were me?

Most people would tell you to play it safe.

The reason I'm wary of taking this job is that I'm currently 9 weeks pregnant so by the time I start, I will be showing and will have to tell them that I am pregnant around the time I start.

No, you won’t. You don’t have to tell them until 15 weeks before the baby is due. Baggy tops?

With everything you are saying I would play it safe and stay. Being pregnant means you are harder to mane redundant.

Going to your new job will you be entitled to SMP? You might not have enough service so may have to claim mat allowance. Does your current employer pay enhanced maternity package?

Due to a 3 month probationary period, they could get rid of me because of being pregnant and justify it as 'you're not the right person for our business' and be completely within their rights to do so, no questions asked..*

Actually, they could do this at any time in the first 2 years for any non-discriminatory reason.

Going to your new job will you be entitled to SMP? You might not have enough service so may have to claim mat allowance. Does your current employer pay enhanced maternity package?

Definitely not. If you’re already pregnant before starting a job you won’t be eligible for SMP. Most occupational schemes have at least the same length of service requirements.

I'd stay. Even if you got made redundant they'd have to pay up your SMP in full

No, I will not be entitled to SMP, just may allowance. My current employer doesn't offer any special maternity, just 6 weeks at 90% pay (which would be reduced due to me being on reduced hours but that's ok with me) + Normal SMP for the remaining period.

@ginislife would they? I ready online that they don't have to if I'm made redundant before 26 weeks (or around that time). But I may be completely wrong - it was just a google search

I would stay.

Congratulations on being pregnant. I'd stay where you are tbh. Years ago we took someone on who was pregnant when we interviewed her - she was off sick on a regular basis and left a small team struggling to cover her work. She'd come from another local authority so had full protection but we all felt it was a bit shitty of her to have taken the job.

I had a lot of ill-health and exhaustion with DC1 pregnancy and was glad my employers knew I was normally reliable. While I would normally encourage women to take confidence to apply for new roles, in this instance, I'd put my mental health & maternity pay first.

Baggy tops, then 'surprise' pregnancy. You are looking at redundancy anyway so go for it.

Stay ! And tell them you are pregnant
You are way safer that way

I would only take a new job if I was going to tell them I am pregnant, I was made redundant when I was pregnant (it was not to do with pregnancy, I knew the reasons and was fine and I was paid out which being casual I was happy with) but I told them as soon as I found out, it is something I would always be honest about