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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Taking myself out of a job as pregnant

27 replies

megansmarkle · 05/08/2023 19:12

I'm pregnant and due to go on maternity in three months.

Perfect job at work has cropped up but I told the hiring manager/person on the job advert I was pregnant and going on leave soon.

He told me to still apply.

The person leaving did the job for four months. She applied for another job at the company but didn't get it. So they told/asked her to apply the job.

Apparently no one else has applied for the role and it's only internal atm.

It's a £30k job.

OP posts:
Original poster
megansmarkle · 05/08/2023 19:13

AIBU for mentioning that I was pregnant and would be bad for everyone if I applied - I cringe that I've said that but I'll also think "at least I was honest".

OP posts:
Whataretheodds · 05/08/2023 19:15

Go for it. You've already crossed the hurdle of when to tell them that you're pregnant. Whether you'd been there 2 years or 2 months they'd need to get mat cover for you.

Original poster
megansmarkle · 05/08/2023 19:16

Whataretheodds · 05/08/2023 19:15

Go for it. You've already crossed the hurdle of when to tell them that you're pregnant. Whether you'd been there 2 years or 2 months they'd need to get mat cover for you.

My concern is that it would be three staff they would need to recruit in a year.... but I guess it's a ball ache whatever happens :/

OP posts:
Stompythedinosaur · 05/08/2023 19:16

I've no idea why you would do that. Scuppering your career and encouraging pregnancy to be a reason women are overlooked is not a good thing.

Original poster
megansmarkle · 05/08/2023 19:17

Stompythedinosaur · 05/08/2023 19:16

I've no idea why you would do that. Scuppering your career and encouraging pregnancy to be a reason women are overlooked is not a good thing.

Because my big pregnancy bump is a big give away? HR know because I've had plenty of time of as well (pregnancy is going well but my health isn't).

OP posts:
Original poster
megansmarkle · 05/08/2023 19:18

I've only just started this job 6 months ago.

OP posts:
Clarinet1 · 05/08/2023 19:19

Well if they said to apply after you told them about the pregnancy they can’t have that much of a problem. I’m not sure what an internal move might do to your maternity rights though.

Original poster
megansmarkle · 05/08/2023 19:20

Clarinet1 · 05/08/2023 19:19

Well if they said to apply after you told them about the pregnancy they can’t have that much of a problem. I’m not sure what an internal move might do to your maternity rights though.

It will change nothing! I'm still employed and by the same company.

OP posts:
advice222 · 05/08/2023 19:20

What have you got to lose by applying?

NeverDropYourMooncup · 05/08/2023 19:20

Don't be daft. Not only is it your legal right to do so, the hiring manager specifically told you that you should still apply.

Stompythedinosaur · 05/08/2023 19:22

megansmarkle · 05/08/2023 19:17

Because my big pregnancy bump is a big give away? HR know because I've had plenty of time of as well (pregnancy is going well but my health isn't).

Show quote history

A pregnancy bump doesn't make you tell an employer it would be "bad for everyone" if you applied.

If you don't want the job, no problem. But being pregnant doesn't stop many women (myself included) from progressing their career.

NegativNancy · 05/08/2023 19:22

Honestly, apply for it. I recruit people as part of my job and 100% I would rather get the right person for the team, even if it meant temporarily covering their maternity, as opposed to an inferior candidate just because they weren't pregnant.

Whataretheodds · 05/08/2023 19:23

NeverDropYourMooncup · 05/08/2023 19:20

Don't be daft. Not only is it your legal right to do so, the hiring manager specifically told you that you should still apply.

Exactly

advice222 · 05/08/2023 19:24

I work in a leadership role and recruit, we’d rather the right person applied and got the job and we had to backfill a maternity than permanently recruit someone we didn’t think was right for the role. In fact we did it recently with an external candidate! Go for it!

Approaching · 05/08/2023 19:27

Absolutely go for it! I’ve hired an internal candidate who went on mat leave before starting, yes it was a bit of a faff to get cover, but we knew we had a good person coming in. If it’s a job you want, that will fit with the way you think you’ll want to work after mat leave, go for it.

FloNightingale · 05/08/2023 19:37

What have you got to lose?

Original poster
megansmarkle · 05/08/2023 19:37

Approaching · 05/08/2023 19:27

Absolutely go for it! I’ve hired an internal candidate who went on mat leave before starting, yes it was a bit of a faff to get cover, but we knew we had a good person coming in. If it’s a job you want, that will fit with the way you think you’ll want to work after mat leave, go for it.

A lot can happen in a year?

OP posts:
Original poster
megansmarkle · 05/08/2023 19:39

advice222 · 05/08/2023 19:24

I work in a leadership role and recruit, we’d rather the right person applied and got the job and we had to backfill a maternity than permanently recruit someone we didn’t think was right for the role. In fact we did it recently with an external candidate! Go for it!

What will happen for a year the woman is on maternity and her workload?

OP posts:
Original poster
megansmarkle · 05/08/2023 20:04

FloNightingale · 05/08/2023 19:37

What have you got to lose?

Relationship with boss

OP posts:
DaisyAndDonaldDuck · 05/08/2023 20:07

megansmarkle · 05/08/2023 19:39

What will happen for a year the woman is on maternity and her workload?

Show quote history

What does it matter to you? It’s not your problem.

Approaching · 05/08/2023 20:08

If you don’t want it, don’t apply. If you do want it, do apply. It’s really that simple.

Giantwindows · 05/08/2023 20:13

I’ve just been offered two different promotions despite having just started maternity leave. It hasn’t been a barrier at all.

If you want the job then apply - it’s not your job to worry about maternity cover if successful.

FoodFann · 05/08/2023 20:22

You’re clearly doing a great job OP, as they asked you to apply for the promotion. Personally, I would probably go for it. Best of luck

Original poster
megansmarkle · 05/08/2023 20:26

Hi. It's not really a promotion it's a different team and a side step (slightly lower salary).

OP posts:
Lavender14 · 05/08/2023 20:31

megansmarkle · 05/08/2023 20:04

Relationship with boss

Show quote history

As a manager I'd be more disappointed in your lack of drive to progress than that you're pregnant which you've every right to be. You're still entitled to the same opportunities within your company despite being on or approaching maternity leave. You are essentially asking your company to discriminate against you under a protected category. You've been honest about being pregnant so why on earth you wouldn't go for the job is beyond me. Its for your company to worry about sorting cover etc. At worst you'd get interview experience under your belt before going off and show that despite being pregnant you still have aspirations within the company, and at best you'd get the job and have a chance to get a bit of a feel for it before going off. Plus you'd get maternity at the higher pay rate. The only reason I can see why you wouldn't take it is if you know that you're going to leave the company after having your baby and have no need of the extra income or you genuinely don't like the look of the job.

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