Telling HR instead of Manager

[DucksWorld]

Hi all,

I don't know if this is on wrong thread, apologies if so, but I'm looking for some advice on telling my employer I'm pregnant.

I'm currently on furlough, I work for a sales company, and have recently found out I'm pregnant. It's still early yet and I imagine by the time I'll be telling work, July, I could be expected back in the office but I wanted to know has anyone ever gone straight to HR to tell them of pregnancy than their Manager? I'm dreading the reaction I'll get but would feel comfortable letting them know beforehand.

TIA

Why don't you want to tell your manager?

Also, congratulations!!

Why not just send an email to both simultaneously?

There's been a lot of pressure from Manager in the past with targets and billings and I just know they won't be very happy about it, I worry they'd try and get rid of me.

Sending an email to both is a good idea to consider actually, imagined I'd have to tell face to face, thank you :)

Congrats!

If you are currently furloughed, why tell them anything this early on at all- either manager or HR??? In your scenario, I'd only be mentioning it IF they asked you back into the office or you were doing a high risk role.

Thanks @Elouera and congratulations to you to!

Fair point, think I'm just overthinking it before time lol makes me anxious

Cross post OP. If you do have concerns about them getting rid of you (although illegal due to pregnancy) even more reason to not tell them right now.

Ha sorry I so read that wrong and thought you said you were in my scenario. I'm very tired :') haha thanks for the advice again x

I would wait until after your dating scan and then email both just to let them know. You’re not obliged to tell for a good while though

@DucksWorld- Umm, congrats to me too??? You might be thinking of someone else OP? I MC 2 weeks ago, so sadly, no congrats for me anymore. In my case, I DID tell work early due to frontline nature of my work, but completely irrelevant in your case.

All the best, but if furloughed, I'd say nothing at all until you really need to. Also, if work is that awful, I'd be looking elsewhere with the time off x

@DucksWorld- sorry, cross post again!

I'm HR and I wouldn't say anything yet as you're not at work anyway so little risk. I only told my manager in a previous role as I was so sick!

You don't have to tell them legally until 15 weeks before your due date.

You don’t have to tell your employer until 15 weeks before your due date. That gives you plenty of time. As a PP has said, if you’re furloughed, I wouldn’t say anything at all. I told my head (I’m a teacher) very early but I had to put in for time for my various appointments. I’m now 22 weeks and not required back at work even if schools are back on the 1st. I never thought she would try and get rid of me because of it though and all she said was congratulations.

If I feared redundancy due to discrimination I’d say nothing about pregnancy to either the manager or HR for a very long while! Barring things like lots of time off sick for pregnancy-related reasons that would make it hard to hide it.

However if you feel they are about to push you out it might be better to tell them now. They will think twice about it if you can argue that the dismissal was linked to your pregnancy. If they start a process before they know then it would clearly not be discriminatory