Applying for a new job whilst newly pregnant.

[Hornplayinggirl]

Hi,

Looking for some opinions on this......I work in education and I currently live a long way from my family. I have been trying to get another job closer to my family for about 4 years now but there has been absolutely nothing to apply for. My husband and I have been thinking about trying for a baby for about a year but have put it off in the hope we could move home first. Sods law that we decide to go for it and I end up pregnant straight away (now that I am complaining!) but now a job has come up in EXACTLY the right area.

The job doesn't start until Easter at which point I would be about 6 months pregnant. I would loose SMP as I would be employed by a different LEA so I would only qualify for the Maternity allowance. My two questions would be:

1. Would the new employers be really annoyed? (I wouldn't be off for long as I couldn't afford to be. The aim would be to return in September)

1. Am I totally mad for doing this? (the phrase wanting it all and wanting it now spring to mind!!)

My parents and husband really want me to go for it, with my mum offering to help with child care, but everyone at work say I would be totally mad to do this.
I just want to be near my family, as I think in the long term it would be a better standard of life for all 3 of us.

Am I mad to have a little bit of short term pain (having to return to work really soon after having the baby) for long term gain (having family around to help)??

I don't think you're mad for doing it. I work in education, too, and my perfect job has just come up in the school just around the corner to me - I'm 23 weeks and am going to apply. What's the worse thing that could happen? They say no? Wouldn't be a complete disaster. And if I get the job, then great! I say go for it.

I'm a secondary school teacher, my dream job came up and I applied, was interviewed and got the job!!! The weekend of celebrating my new job was the weekend my husband (then fiancé) and I conceived! Telling the school was the most frightening thing but they have been supportive and when I started in September I was 16 weeks pregnant. I'm now 26 weeks and the school has been great (generally) some people have been not pleasant about it but most of the staff have been great.
Slightly different to your situation as the school couldn't go back on the contract when I told them because it was all signed!! I would just say, it's stressful starting a new job while pregnant and I wouldn't do it again! Plus, I don't qualify for smp!
X

It will be hard going back in September if the baby is only a few weeks old - speaking from experience, I cleverly had a baby in my PGCE year (so back PT at 6 weeks and FT at 12 weeks) and then another one in my NQT year, had to go back at 13 weeks. It was hellish.

(yes, shoulda woulda coulda planned better, but thought I could cope. Was Wrong.) Expressing is tricky in school too.

I do have a friend who applied for and got a HoD job when 3 months pg without informing them - the school were NOT happy, but they had to honour the contract.

I have another friend who has gone back to work after her year of ML already pregnant. 3 times. They don't like that either.

I have to say as a pregnant employer I wouldn't be happy. Things do happen and can't be helped but to knowingly go for a job and maybe getting it and not telling the employer you are pregnant isn't fair. We have to make a living too and it costs us money and what happens if you decide you want to spend more time with the baby and take more time off ? It is situations like this that give reliable working Mums a bad name and doesn't help our cause. You can't have your cake and eat it and expect everybody just to swallow it. But that is just my point of view.......

Just to add if you are going to tell them you are pregnant then that is a different matter, at least you are giving them a choice.

If I was an employer and somebody did this I wouldn't be pleased. It's a bit sneaky I think. And doesn't do the cause for equality in the work place any good whatsoever. It causes resentment and bad feeling. That is just my humble opinion.

sproglet that may be your point of view but if you are practicing what you preach then you are breaking the law.

Hornolayinggirl go for it I went for a promotion to a cross department role (university rather than school) when just over six months pregnant. I got the job and they waited for me when I was on maternity leave because I was the best person for the job.

How is sproglet breaking the law, Sneaky? She didn't say she was asking potential employees if they were pregnant or anything.

OP I agree with the others - I think you should tell them you are pregnant if you go for it. But also bear in mind that it will be incredibly hard to leave a twelve-week old baby. Emotionally and physically - it wouldn't be good for your baby or you.

Yes Sneaky enlighten me ? I am talking about having morals...It makes me cross that women have fought for years to be in the position we are in today and there are the odd few that seem intent to abuse it.

How is applying for a job when pregnant abusing the position we are in today as women?

Also at 6 months pregnant you were entitled by law to tell your future employers you were pregnant so slightly different i think...

By deliberately hiding it is wrong....

I have been on both sides and would never try and pull the wool over my future employers eyes....doesn't make for a good start of a trusting working relationship. Look I have two children and another on the way and have worked all through them but it is about mutal respect for each other not taking the piss.

But the OP never said anything about deliberately hiding it?

I have recruited a woman to a post when she was 6, nearly 7 months pregnant, we just recruited one of the other applicants as her maternity cover! I work in a university, so probably a similar work environment to yours, OP.

I don't think you're mad to apply for a post close to your family - you have a genuine answer to the "why have you applied for this post" question. Tell the employer when you're offered the job, not during the interview; employers cannot legally turn you down for a job because you're pregnant so they don't need to know before this do they?

I am going to sign off now before I go into prem labour.......

"Tell the employer when you're offered the job, not during the interview; employers cannot legally turn you down for a job because you're pregnant so they don't need to know before this do they? "

^^ this.

You must tell them you are pregnant. I was in the same position recently, and I pulled out of the interview as I wouldn't have been able to fulfil the advertised role. I'm not saying you should pull out but you must be honest about your circumstances. You'd be a bit annoyed if a job was advertised as 9am-5pm and the day you turned up they told you that actually due to circumstances they hadn't mentioned at interview actually you had to work a different shift.

I was in a slightly different position whereby I had already done the first stage interview and was invited back for the second stage. In between the two interviews I found out I was expecting. It was a tricky situation as it was literally my dream job! I emailed the director with whom I had been dealing straight away and let her know about my changed circumstances and said I understood that they may prefer to withdraw their invitation to second interview, but she said it would not affect their decision. I went for the interview and was offered the job; at which point I had a very honest chat with the director and decided that taking the job was not in my or their best interests, not least because at that stage (10 weeks) I had no idea exactly when I would be returning to work! I also wasn't sure of the wisdom of starting a new job in my second and third trimester!! All of which I said to them as I think honesty is always the best policy!

I don't think you're mad for going for the job - it makes sense and sounds like it would be the best thing for your family. I think that if you're honest with the school then you can at least say you gave it your best (and honest!) shot. As backwardpossum said - what's the worst they can do? Say no?

I think if I was you I would apply for the job, not telling them I was pregnant. That way knowing I was given a fair chance for the position. Then if offerred the job, accept and tell them then you have discovered you are pregnant. They would be breaking the law to withdraw the offer but you will have given them as much notice as possible.

Would you be able to stay at your current job for just a bit longer? That way you would qualify for Maternity Pay. Check on the HMRC website, but I think as long as your maternity leave has started (can be from 29 weeks) you are entitled to the Maternity Pay even if you leave the job.

I've been out all afternoon and I notice Sproglet has gone now but any other employers may like to know that pregnancy is covered by the 2010 equality act as a protected characteristic the same as race, sexuality etc. This means that employers may not treat someone less favourably if they ate pregnant any more than if they were gay or disabled. This protection in law is obviously only available to an individual who has disclosed their circumstances.