to be furious I was asked about my pregnancy in a phone "interview"

[MsHiss]

Grrrr!

I burst into tears because my pregnancy ended a month ago in a MMC. They had heard I was pregnant but clearly hadn't heard the follow up.

This was a question about how my pregnancy would affect the work I could do for them (freelancer) and at the time I didn't tell them off but bloody hell I thought sex discimination laws and all that malarky meant you couldn't ask such questions?

Spose the flipside was it was a question about an existing pregnancy rather than intentions for pregnancy and it wasn't an official interview more a phonecall chat thing, and they did say it was so they could work the job around a pregnancy, and that the company was very pregnancy friendly.

I am really angry about it now- partly because I hate being thrown and made upset about the MMC when I am not expecting it and partly because I think it was bloody rude and personal and in no way should have affected whether they wanted me to do the work. (Am starting to learn that none of the rules that apply to employed work apply to self employed work!)

P.S Have namechanged in case the guilty party is a MNetter!

for you, hope you took the name of the caller so you can complain to head office. a MMC is hard enough without having to explain what happened over and over...and it was bloody rude. Hope you get at least an apology.x

Annoyingly she was one of the head honchos and I work in a select circle where everyone knows everyone else so if I complain and go nuts- thats me known as a troublemaker and no work for me.

But since I have lots and lots of work I am seriously thinking about not doing any working for the company (they do want me) but then again could lead onto brighter and better things and don't want to cut nose off to spite face.

Bitching on here about it helps!

bitch away my dear, bitch away..... thats one of the best things about MN , great way to get things out .....

MsHiss, is it possible it was a health & safety risk assessment sort of conversation?

Sorry for your loss.

Not really although that is probably how they would spin it.

I am still seething and seriously thinking about writing a letter to the big boss. But then I probably couldn't work for them and my name may become mud in other circles so probably is wise not to. Currently am so cross I am not sure I can work for them anyway!

In fact does anyone know of the relevant legislation I could quote in my letter. I think I may do a nice-ish one as a "I think you should be aware" rather than a "You knobheads...." type one, as I know if I don't get it off my chest I defo won't be able to work for them.

Thing is though, you said in your op that they were asking so that they would be able to fit the work around your needs, they didn't say they wouldn't employ you because of an existing pregnancy.
They did qualify that by saying that they were a very pregnancy friendly company.

I have asked people in interview before about an existing pregnancy for the same reasons, I have then gone on to employ people who are pregnant because the pregnancy isn't (in my opinion) an issue.

I'm so very sorry you suffered an MMC, wishing you all the best for the future. x x

But I thought there was something in the legislation that said you couldn't comment on pregnancy at all? Equal opps or something?

Sorry I reread my OP and I don't think I made it clear. The way it seemed (and the way I took it) was they were concerned about the pregnancy effect on me doing the job (as in it was a negative thing) but then from the other point of view (which I can see and is what I meant by flipside) it could be they meant it in a positive way.

My return to work after DS1 was born was delayed because I suffered a MMC when he was about 9 months old. When I went into work to discuss with my Head of HR what job I should return to he asked me if I was planning to have any more children. He knew I'd had a MMC so it was a sensitive subject. When his assistant commented that he shouldn't be asking me that anyway, he replied that it would help him decide where to put me if he knew whether or not I would be disappearing on another long maternity leave .....

I think you CAN talk about pregnancy in an interview tbh... not that I am any word on the matter at all, but I once sat in on an interview where it was mentioned.

SOrry for your loss though

I don't think you are not allowed to comment on a pregnancy, i think it is that you are not allowed to discount any interviewee because they are pregnant.

For example, one lady that i ended up taking on was in the early stages of pregnancy and we discussed how long she would be comfortable driving for because she would have been out on the road visiting customers as part of her role, therefore i would have to look at having a plan B ready for that time as well as arranging maternity cover etc.
She worked mainly from home during the last stages of her pregnancy and we farmed out any visits that were necessary to a colleague.

In her feedback from the interview she said that she felt it was positive that we took an interest as it showed we were considering her and her needs within the role.

I think you do get a gut feel for someone's intent when they ask particular questions so perhaps you are right and they were being dismissive. But the trouble is, i don't know how you would address that if they had already given you the spiel about how pregnancy friendly they are etc.

I can imagine it must have been dreadfully upsetting to have to explain about the MMC in that setting.