Work Confidentiality.

5 replies

5ammy · 20/04/2013 22:11

Hi,

I'm so excited! I'm pregnant with baby no3, but it's my husbands first. I'm only about 6 weeks but already in a quandary.

We don't want anyone to know yet, we're enjoying it being our secret, however, I work as cabin crew. My companies policy is to stop your flying duties as soon as you find out you're pregnant. My initial plan was to simply neglect to mention it... However, I flew last week, we have no breaks and have to work very hard, I found myself wretching at the hot food smells, going dizzy and finding any excuse to 'kneel down' to get something out of the trolley, and at one point having to sit on the galley floor before I fainted.

I really can't pull this off, and there's no let up at all at work, we're a small team.

I've had to take myself off flying duties and tomorrow am going to have to explain why... This leaves me with a problem:

Ground duties are given to people who are pregnant... And ONLY people who are pregnant. Ground duties are helping out in the crew room... So basically I can't deny that I'm pregnant at work. Do I have any rights to confidentiality? At all? Anything? I work with people that like to gossip, many have kids that go to school with my kids (I have good reason for not telling my kids yet) and I sure as hell don't want my work colleagues knowing before my family.

Any suggestions on how I get around this? I've managed to hide my 'morning' (24 hours a day!) sickness whilst staying with my family this weekend, I really don't want to have to tell anyone until we're ready.

Help!
Sammy

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BriansBrain · 20/04/2013 22:15

Your personal situation should be taken into consideration in regards to keeping the pregnancy quiet in the first 14 weeks.

Maybe ask management to advise you are waiting on an operation or test results that mean you can't fly even though they will know you are pregnant?

People will still gossip though but hopefully it won't filter down to the children at school.

You cold speak to HR first.

SomethingOnce · 20/04/2013 22:19

Any chance you could negotiate unpaid leave if you can afford it?

windywoo26 · 20/04/2013 22:20

I have a job where I have to fly and where the risk assessment is I shouldn't if pregnant. I agreed with my management to tell the team I had perforated my ear drum and was waiting for an ent consultation about it so could not fly in the mean time. Could you try something like that? TBH a couple of people guessed I was pg but it kept most happy until after my scan.

Original poster

5ammy · 20/04/2013 22:29

Hi,
Thanks for your replies. There has unfortunately been an issue of late with people being unfit to fly on medical grounds and being told they're not allowed ground duties on this basis. Which blows any idea I had about saying it was medical out the water.

I wish I could afford unpaid leave, it'd make life easier.
I'll just have to discuss it with management and hope for the best :-(

Thanks for your suggestions.
Sammy

OP posts:

cuckooplusone · 21/04/2013 05:21

Maybe you could just come out and tell them all, but say that since it is so early you would like to wait to tell family? They may well understand?

Flip