Was anyone offered a training contract whilst pregnant

[Traineealina]

I would really appreciate someone’s help and wondering maybe someone has been in same situation as me. I have been working with my current firm for 1 year as a paralegal. I have already completed my LPC as i self funded it and I have just been offered a training contract with them to start in October 2023.

However, I am pregnant. It was an unplanned pregnancy and I have been torn for few weeks between the decision of choosing my career or family. However i have also been thinking that I have a supportive partner and I would be able to do both.

I am 14 weeks pregnant now and my firm doesn’t know I am pregnant yet because I am scared to tell them. i am scared that if tell them I am pregnant they will not give me the training contract. I had to take annual leave for all my midwife appointments.

I work a national firm so they are flexible in terms of family. However I work in commercial department and my manager is very much likely living at work. She always works late nights and the previous trainee was also staying late nights all the time doing extra all the time. I really don’t mind doing it but considering that I will have a baby I don’t know if I will be able to do it every day.I am scared that if my manager knows I am pregnant she will treat me completely different.

I have also had a conversation with the previous trainee from this department who asked me randomly one day if I use protection and to make sure to not be pregnant now that I am offered a training contract.( she doesn’t know I am pregnant yet)

I am excited for this baby but at the same time I am so scared because of the training contract and how this will affect me and my career.I have always been career driven and hardworking so I don’t know what to do. Whether the maternity leave will affect my start date for training contract as I am due December 2023 and my training contract is about to start October 2023.

I would just really appreciate some help and whether someone was in similar or same situation and what did they do when they were just offered a training contract whilst being pregnant.

If you’ve already been offered it and have confirmation in writing then withdrawal due to you being pregnant would be discriminatory (and illegal) so you’re protected legally. I do understand your concerns re:how you might be treated differently though. I have a different, but similar challenge with my work at the moment and I’m hoping to keep the pregnancy under wraps for another few months until I get proper confirmation of some intended changes.

pregnant then screwed is a great source of info on the topic :) good luck

Talk to the sra. You can pause the training contract for your maternity leave and then resume it. You may be able to reduce the length of your training contract. I would suggest you start it then take a break rather than delay starting it.