To start new job when I’ve recently found out I’m pregnant?

[Dontknowwhattodo123456]

Don’t know much about this stuff other than the straight forward legal stuff I’ve read which says that I’m under no obligation to disclose I’m pregnant until I’m a certain amount of weeks?

it’s such early days that I haven’t even told relatives yet.

finally heard back from a place I’ve wanted to work at for a while. Hours are great.

would they be pissed off when I eventually start to show etc? Am I doing something shitty by them hiring someone who towards the end of the year is going to have to be on mat leave? How does this all work?

thanks so much in advance to anyone who can help.

i was freelance before this.

thanks

Also, if I do take the job…when do I tell them? I don’t want to be in an uncomfortable situation where thurs resentful.

Hi OP,

you will have a lot of people telling you to go for it.

Personally, I think it depends on the organisation. If it is a big one, maybe less of a problem- although if the department has a headcount, expect some irritation if colleagues have to cover for you when on may leave.

in a small organisation, it could be an issue. My DH has his own business with about 20 staff. Two of the women are on maternity leave at the moment and he has no idea if /when they will be back. He cannot hire any replacements (he doesn’t know for how long he will need help or if they will go on a second maternity leave). I personally think that a third worker on maternity leave may be what would prevent him from hiring women of childbearing age - it is bad times and he just cannot afford it (even if it is statutory maternity pay for a new starter, he would hire that person, and take a lot of time hiring, and then not have them in).

If you are currently already in a job, then I would consider whether you would be better off staying put for now, say if there are enhanced maternity benefits. Or whether it would just be less stressful than starting a new job.

But otherwise, well it is too bad if the employer is annoyed, their responsibility as an employer is to comply with employment legislation. You should not have to think about this any more than a man who has just discovered he is to father a baby. Personally, as a manager of many years, I would not be particularly bothered if I hired somebody and then they announced pregnancy, I have managed maternity situations many times, it happens and it is part of the job of management to manage it.

I think if you were freelancing before you don't have anything to lose with regards to maternity pay. Otherwise I would check which company would offer a better maternity package and how long you have to be there before you are entitled to it. In your case the better package would presumably be the new company as I'm not sure you'd get anything as a freelancer though I might be wrong?
I think that unfortunately, we have to be selfish sometimes, companies will care about their own interests too and not about your feelings or how their decisions will affect your personal situation.

Also, since it's such early days, for all they know you didn't plan it and could have found out after taking the job. I wouldn't tell them until the usual time you are supposed to mention it. Anything can happen until then.

It's discrimination to do anything otherwise!
Your very early days personally I wouldn't tell them take the job work well and wear baggy dresses til you get your Mat B form unless you work in a job which is going to require a risk assessment!

Your unlikely to qualify for enhanced or stat mat pay.

It's not for a company to get pissed off with you and if the hours are great you will want this for returning to work.

The law is on your side but personally I think it's a shitty thing to do.

Agree

That really depends on how long someone works for a company really!

The OP has wanted this position for a while doesn't sound like they will want to not return to work. Also nobody bats an eyelid if a bloke decides after a year they want a different position and the company has to readvertise etc.

Long term the company is better with an employee who wants to be there etc. I've had this exact situation with several colleagues and nobody in the team bats an eyelid. They have all returned to work and are a brilliant part of the team.

It depends how big the company is. In a small business, it will really affect them negatively and more likely for them to not be very nice about it. A big company won't care very much. Either way though you are unlikely to get anything above statutory which is not a lot. What is your current job situation?

Unfortunately I found myself in a similar situation years ago. I was made redundant then found out I was pregnant about a week later. I did find another job quickly and I did take it. Due to the delay in starting I told my line manager at the end of my first day. He was absolutely fine, as was the department director. Probably helped that it’s a large organisation 400+ on this site so cover was fairly easy to arrange. I’m still in the role years later and have never experienced any problems.

Personally I’d reframe the question to focus more on being successful in this new role. As PP have pointed out, no one bats an eyelid if a man decides they want a different job inside a year.

Do you think, with a new pregnancy, you can start this role, show your skills, get to grips with the requirements and demonstrate your awesomeness before maternity leave? If so, go for it.

If, however, you feel like there would be a steep learning curve, lots of politics/bureaucracy to navigate, a ton of non- pregnancy related absences etc. then I would caution moving now. You’ve had your eye on this organisation for a while, so presumably you see yourself there long term and so maybe this vacancy isn’t the right one for now.

Utimately it’s your decision; as a manager I wouldn’t be fussed Id hired you and you told me you were pregnant - I’d get angsty if you weren’t focussed on learning and doing the role while you were in the job.

I did it a few years ago - found out I was pregnant the same week I had the interview. I know I was under no obligation to but I told them before I accepted the job, reasoning that if I got the slightest hint they were going to be shitty about it, I didn't want to work for them anyway. In the event they were absolutely fine.

I bring in plenty of business and I've been promoted twice in 2 years - frankly it would have been their loss if they'd put me off taking/staying in the job, I'm a great asset 😁

Op I’m in healthcare, recruitment takes months between notice periods (I’ve a minimum of 4 months notice!) and slow HR processes. I took a big job - leaving a team I loved - for a promotional role that long term excited me, and then found out I was pregnant. Started in post just before MatB1 was due. Told them at 25 weeks.

It’s not been ideal to start, knowing I can only be in post for a few months - but last maternity leave I swapped roles while on mat leave. And in many ways, this seems easier. At least I can put things in place now - to come back to!

The hard bits have been - as a PP above has said. This is a role I want to do well in. So there’s been lots to learn, new demands etc. “stepping up” at a time that I’ve been naturally fairly exhausted hasn’t been easy. There’s definitely been times when if I was in my old role, I’d have worked from home - or taken sick leave - but in my new one I worried re: ‘my reputation’ and pushed myself. I’m working till the week I’m due to see some projects through. It’s been worth it. But it’s not been easy!

I had similar and decided to be upfront and emailed them to say I was really excited to be starting and had also received other good news that I had just found out I was pregnant (5 weeks) but looked forward to getting really stuck into the role and saw it as a long term position.

I already had a 2 year old child which I did talk about at interview and the role was part time.

The job offer was withdrawn a week later.

Nothing I could do about it. Yes, it was illegal but they said they had decided to restructure and the role didn’t exist anymore. They even said it wasn’t related to my news.

I don’t regret being upfront though. It showed what sort of employer they were. I also don’t blame them as by the time I got settled, I’d have been off and they’d need to train someone else on a temporary basis.

Agree with this too

I think this is the right approach. Obviously it's risky but at the same time it showed you just what kind of company it was.

I lead a team and I would honestly prefer to know up front. It gives me plenty of time to think about maternity cover and if there's any adjustments I need to make for the role. I'd prefer honesty rather than being told further down the line...but not every company will be like that!

Why? Recruitment should be considered a long term game. My company have had 4.5 years of brilliant performance out of me, and if they keep treating me well they'll continue to do so. 8 months of mat leave seems hardly here or there in the scheme of things.

This ⬆️

It’s absolutely appalling that in 2023 we suggest anything other than take the job of you want it and it suits you, don’t if it doesn’t. Your pregnancy doesn’t come into it.

Quite frankly if a business can’t afford to support staff on ML - then they’re not a viable business. It’s a natural part of life. The business is the problem not the woman doing a perfectly normal part of her life. God forbid we ever get to a situation where we get paid properly while on ML- full pay for a year!

I agree with @LittleMyTopKnot

Personally, I think it depends on the organisation. If it is a big one, maybe less of a problem- although if the department has a headcount, expect some irritation if colleagues have to cover for you when on may leave.

And to the poster who had their job offer withdrawn- did you just accept that? Pregnant than screwed would have been a great resource here. If we just accept this behaviour it will keep happening. I agree you don’t want to work there but if they had to pay out to you they might think twice about doing it again to someone else.

Ignore all this "it's legal but not right!" Nonsense.

Trust me when I say the motherhood penalty is going to screw you over enough... And it will more than level out any "advantage" you gain here... Do what is best for you.

Personally I think it depends on how you manage it. For me...

Dream Job
If I was serious about the company - I would fully accept, sign all contracts and disclose shortly after to line manager during onboarding explaining ifound out 2 days ago (doesn't matter if it's true) i want to be transparent, i know it's not ideal but I'm serious about my role and future at the company. I have a rough plan in place and want to work with them to find a way to make this as seamless as possible for the business. I would have a proposal /plan for mat leav and prob be looking to go back at 6/7m mark.
During pregnancy I'd ensure apps are early or late in the day (i had to rebook a lot of mine) stay on top of work and be present pretty much until baby drops.
Stay in the loop on current business affairs while on mat leave and stay in touch tlwith coworkers/ clients etc

This assumes it's THE dream job /role and I want a career there.

Job that pays bills
fully accept, sign all contracts.
Work out maternity pay situation, get as much as I can from the company accept /know it's a "pitstop job" and i wpnt be up for promotions and the team and line manager will resent what I did and my card will be "marked". Stay as long as I need to not have to repay Andy enhanced mat leave pay and then move to a new job to build my career path

G

I another agree it's legal but its not right camp.

It can take sone women years to fall pregnant. It would be extremely detrimental to their careers if they stopped advancing and taking new roles just in case they got pregnant and detrimental to their personal lives if they felt they had to stop trying for a baby every time they moved jobs.

Anyone can decide they want to leave a job after a few months. At least if going on maternity they are likely to come back!