worried to tell work i’m pregnant again

[maternityleaveworry]

i’m 17 weeks pregnant and still haven’t told work. i only went back after my previous maternity leave about a month ago and my boss was already funny about me coming back then (i think because i said i can no longer do weekdays as i can’t get childcare for the 2 little ones i have and can’t justify spending more on nursery than id make. its a zero hour minimum wage job)

anyway. i found out this week another staff member is pregnant (6/7 weeks behind me) and i imagine that’s why my boss agreed to give me shifts because she knows she’ll need maternity leave for her. obviously i will not be covering her maternity leave shifts as ill be on it before her. i just don’t know how to tell them now because im worried she’ll just think well i dont need you i’ll cut your hours etc? it’s one of those work environments where its totally unprofessional ‘we’re like a family’ vibes whilst actually being totally toxic and im just really anxious about them cutting my shifts dead or bitching about me

a weekend only but arsey manager about it who clearly intends to pressurise in due course to do weekdays
zero hour contract
minimum wage

OP - you’d hardly be losing much or have to try too hard to get an improvement on that

So you started back about a month ago, knowing you were over 12 weeks pregnant again, but neglected to mention this to them? Don't know where it stands legally but I imagine an employer might feel a bit pissed off when you eventually tell them and i can't really blame them.

@Geneve82 agree but it’s too late to switch jobs. smp is based on weeks 17-25 so id get absolutely nothing if i jumped ship

@ThickSkinnedSoWhat i didn’t tell them at that point because my screening came back high risk for edward’s and i wanted to wait for my nipt etc as my boss is very openly pro life and i wouldn’t want to explain having a tfmr to her had it came to that

You don't need to tell them until 25 weeks.

Surely if you're on a zero hour contract they have no obligation to give you any hours anyway?

I can see why they'd be annoyed at you coming back and refusing to work weekdays.

OP, make sure you have family legal insurance before you tell them. It's usually a tick box add-on to your house insurance.

Then, at least, you'll be able to protect yourself.

@Mrgrinch i was only working one weekday evening anyway it’s not a huge change. and this is my exact worry they have no obligation to give me hours but i think they are because they know they need cover for the other persons maternity leave

wait until week 25

sorted

@Geneve82 i suppose it makes more sense. i don’t even know why im so worried because i have zero intentions to go back there after this baby anyway, they’ve been such crappy management the years ive been there but ive just been seeing it as a stop gap until i finished uni/my masters and got into my career but i just know they’re the type to make a separate group chat purely to talk shit about me which sends my anxiety flying

Tell them at 25 weeks, explain there were issues with the pregnancy so have kept it quiet.

Congratulations 🥳 I had 3 close in age, was good fun.

@RandomMess sounds like that will be the best option, thank you!

ahh thank you, i’m looking forward to the chaos haha

Just tell them then you're covered under discrimination act and then if they are shitty with you who cares. You just need the mat leave? And then find another job if you need to after your pregnancy. You're only doing 2 days anyway.

This comment… jeez…

And if they are “a bit pissed off” and take it out on her when she does tell them (and she doesn’t need to be in any hurry) that would be unlawful.

@cakesque what if they cut my hours before they know i’m pregnant for whatever reason? am i better telling them sooner so im covered or will i be covered anyway? i don’t really know how it all works

Congrats OP. Wait until you legally have to tell your boss. The law protects you. Speak to ACAS if you’re treated unfairly because of pregnancy.

It's none of the employers business to be pissed off. Legally she don't have to say till she is 29 weeks !

If I were you I’d wait until you were 25 weeks and tell them and say you kept it quiet due to being high risk. Yes, you could tell them now and therefore have a protected characteristic however given what you’ve said about them I wouldn’t trust them not to cut hours etc and you’d have to get legal help and fight for your rights which not many pregnant women/new mothers would understandably want to go through.

I wouldn't tell them till you've done your qualifying weeks for maternity pay especially if you're on a zero hour contract.
How much are you earning a week as you need to earn £123 a week to get smp

@Lorie94 im definitely not earning enough for smp but could still get maternity allowance - i know it’s less but it’s better than nothing. but i cant work out if maternity allowance still works off the same qualifying weeks as smp?

Someone who is 'very openly pro-life' and then is annoyed when a woman becomes pregnant is a bit of a twat in my book.
I have nothing else to add OP, you have had good advice here I think. Good luck with your pregnancy and finding a better job!

have a read op

https://www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance

You can get Maternity Allowance for up to 39 weeks if you’ve been either:

• registered as self-employed for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby’s due
• employed for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby’s due

If you’ve been employed, you must have been earning (or classed as earning) £30 a week or more in at least 13 weeks of your employment. The weeks do not have to be together. You may still qualify if you’ve recently stopped working. It does not matter if you had different jobs or periods of unemployment.

you were employed when you were on maternity leave

how long were you on maternity leave?