Job Offer withdrawn after informing employer that I am pregnant.

[Char1997]

Hi all,

I originally posted this on as a pregnancy thread. As the situation has evolved I have been advised to post on here. I was offered a job yesterday afternoon and although I know I was under no obligation to inform them, I told the employer that I was expecting in December. Since then I have had the job offer withdrawn as they felt that I “misled them” and wasn’t honest. Is anyone able to give me some advice if I were to take this further.

Again, can you tell me, how does hiring a pregnant woman hurt a business in any way shape or form?

Having to immediately offer reduced roles and hours, when you are hiring someone specifically for a set role/hours.

Having to immediately find and train a replacement for their maternity leave.

Accepting that if she doesn’t fit the role or it is not working out, you have absolutely no way of firing her without landing yourself in a similar lawsuit to the current thread.

It’s not about going off on maternity leave once settled and an established member of staff

So how long do you anticipate that takes?

The attitude of some on this topic is Truly revolting. Is your internalized misogeny so deeply rooted that you honestly think pregnant women should stay home and have no right to expect to be treated in the same way as any other applicant?

OP, they have been incredibly stupid.
I have heard many stories as a recruiter about discrimination of women of child bearing age and I'm pretty sure I have been rejected myself for certain jobs for refusing to answer questions during interviews regarding my relationship status.
But I have never seen anything like this, what an incredibly stupid cow.
I hope you take that cunt and the disgusting company that she works for to court and you win, big time. I'm very sure that you have a very good chance to win this. God I hate these kind of employers. May they go bankrupt very soon after you won the lawsuit.

Stunned to see women agreeing with the employer. OP you are brilliant for pursuing this, thank you for defending all our rights, cases like this show you can’t discriminate at will. I hope it’s not detracting too much from your first year with your daughter, you’ve made a huge sacrifice, thank you.

Again, can you tell me, how does hiring a pregnant woman hurt a business in any way shape or form?

Having to immediately offer reduced roles and hours, when you are hiring someone specifically for a set role/hours

Having to immediately find and train a replacement for their maternity leave

Accepting that if she doesn’t fit the role or it is not working out, you have absolutely no way of firing her without landing yourself in a similar lawsuit to the current thread

This ^^^

Such a long wait, I’m glad you didn’t agree to postpone because of CV.
If this thread fills up, please can you link to the next? I’m invested in the outcome for you!

Also a business owner and really shocked at the short sightedness of not employing women who might get pregnant.

In my experience mothers make some of the best employees - they tend to be more loyal, hardworking and less inclined to jump ship than male peers.

@coronamoaner definitely will! so many people on here have given me so much fantastic advice and such support! was watching the post numbers go up and up and thought i’m going to have to start a new thread when I have updates😂

@Annamaria14

Again, can you tell me, how does hiring a pregnant woman hurt a business in any way shape or form? The government pays tje woman maternity leave, you hire a new person on a maternity contract.

Well I think you are naive then. I am female and head a large department and yes I employ women and pregnant ones at that. Yes when a women becomes pregnant and subsequently goes on maternity leave it does damage the business. Depending on the employee it involves drs appointments, classes and then maternity eave and involves hiring temporary staff or making other arrangements. These bring costs, inconvenience and often when they want to return part time then have to consider the request and how we make it work. Sometimes it does , but not always.

So you are in denial about this but...what is important is that these are legal rights for women and I for one agree that it is right they should be protected and I ensure I do so, and also go far beyond what's legally required for flexible working. My staff appreciate that, but also know not to take the mick over it which some have unfortunately tried to do

But denying the obvious that this isn't a cost is plain daft

Wow have just stumbled across this thread and just have to say Well done OP for pursuing this. I can't imagine how stressful it has been for you to be dealing with this while pregnant/with a newborn, but needs to be done. 👏🏻

@LochJessMonster you have to train one new person on a maternity contract. And you think that is a big deal? That is a tiny thing to do.

In my last job, I used to train several new hires into their jobs every couple of weeks.

Well done is fighting for all our rights op

@MarieG10 it is your attitude that is crazy.

I have worked in HR in the past. In a female dominated industry. Many of our employees went on maternity leave. I hired their maternity leave placements. It was very easy to do, and did not cost our company any money at all.

We have all these rights in place to protect women, because if women did not have children, the whole human race would die out.

Please adjust your strange attitude

Thank you for your courage OP you are standing up for us all!

I just don't know why any business thinks that maternity leave creates problems.

When I worked in HR, as I said, many women in my organisation went on maternity leave. Paid by the government.

I advertised for their maternity leave replacements, and I always got loads of applicants for each role. Many people want to work a maternity contract, so they can go on to do something else afterwards. A temporary contract suits many people.

Then when these people were in their jobs (the maternity contract) they were efficent and added alot of value to the organisation.

At the end of the contract, they parted ways easily, and the former women came back from their maternity leave.

It all worked really well

To the people saying a woman should disclose a pregnancy to a potential employer due time off work costs, do you think you should also then have to disclose every medical condition that could require an appointment, perhaps have a full dental check before starting a new role. Then there’s extended family, my dad died and I had a week off work, perhaps I should have disclosed his medical records too!

If women should disclose a pregnancy to a new / potential employer then men should provide details of a full STD check. Because perhaps treating their genital wards would take up a lot of time at the dermatologist.

That would be an invasion of men's privacy?
So is expecting to know what is the current situation of a woman's reproductive organs. It's pure discrimination based on gender.

So what the hell is your issue! I honestly cant believe what I am reading. This is 202O. It is like some one saying they would not hire a black person

Don't be so ridiculous! A black person is no more likely to leave after three months than a white person .

The issue is pretty obvious - it would probably take me 6 or so months to train someone and get them up to speed, at which point they'd be leaving and I'd have to do it all again.

It's purely practicalities.

If someone worked for me for a month and then got pregnant I'd be over the moon for them and wish them well, and of course find temporary cover and muddle through.

Similarly if I employed 500 people, I'd be more likely to hire a pregnant woman, because I'd be better equipped to deal with them going off for an extended period in 3 months time.

But a 1 man band? A 2 man band? Less than 10? I wouldn't blame anyone for not wanting to hire someone who was already pregnant.

Listen I did 10 years in engineering you don't need to preach to me what year it is OR how disgraceful discrimination is - I was at the shit end of it many times. But really you need to play the game. Do you realise how bloody hard it makes things for the rest of us when people take the utter piss like the op?

Similarly annoying are women who constantly leave the office due to caring responsibilities. It's always the women, never the husbands. So you, because you have children, get lumped in with them. And believe me there is FUCK ALL you can do about that type of discrimination because it's subtle and there is absolutely no evidence of it. But it is there. It makes things harder for all of us. Just like op has made it harder for any woman of child bearing age to ever get taken on by that company. With rights come responsibilities and I think people should remember that.

Thank you for your courage OP you are standing up for us all!
^
I second that!

Do you think you should also then have to disclose every medical condition that could require an appointment, perhaps have a full dental check before starting a new role

Ehhh do you work ?? This is standard practice in many roles. Both of my last jobs required a full medical. The police, the body responsible for enforcing law in this country, requires you to disclose any pre-existing medical issues and pass a full medical and a fitness test.

@Annamaria14

I'm not sure what industry you work in, but I guess not one with a high skill set level as in mine we struggle to recruit...we are high pay, high skill set. What you describe sounds more like recruiting to Costa.

I don't need to change my attitude. I agree with maternity provision, and have had it myself. But there is no point denying the truth which you appear to be trying to do that it brings costs, hence why some businesses try desperately to avoid them, and even like the OP experience, some would rather pay her off than employ.

Well done OP, you're amazing! I took a previous employer to tribunal and won. It is a long and drawn out process, but it was so worth it. My tribunal was three days in court and I represented myself. I had to cross-examine four of the company big wigs. I got a good payout and it must have cost them a FORTUNE in legal fees. I'm glad I did it because I always have the memory of taking on a big company, representing myself, cross-examining people when I am scared of public speaking AND WINNING!!! It was the best feeling in the world

I can't imagine doing it while pregnant, so maybe it's a good thing that it's dragged on so much that your little one is here now. I'm sure you will find her amazing motivation to win!

@MarieG10 wow the snobbery! Not that there is anything wrong with Costa Coffee, but no, I didn't work there. I also worked for an industry with a high skill set.

I had no problem with anyone taking maternity leave. It never even crossed my nind to have an issue with it, because to be frank, I am not a bitch.

And I believe firmly in human rights.

@MarieG10 do you not see how saying "oh because it is a minor inconvenience to me, I won't hire her", is wrong on so many levels?

You have to hire pregnant women anyway. No one cares if it is a minor inconvenience to you, no one! Suck it up!

By the way / some one said on here - it takes them six months to train some one new in. How does it take you six months.

Many employers on here need to go on a human rights and an employee rights course.