Found out I'm pregnant while interviewing

[mum2be99]

Found out I'm pregnant with child number 2 today while trying to jump ship with jobs due to lack of job security and need to travel to office every week. Very early days but still need to plan.

Currently interviewing at a small firm that have said they'd create a role especially for me, it's closer, same pay, new skills and progression, but not sure how they'd feel about paying me anything on mat leave. I've done some project work for them so have demonstrated value already.

Also got a chat with a more established firm where I feel they might welcome employing someone who is pregnant as they're bigger and got all the good accreditations.

I do know I want to jump ship asap, but my current job offers 3 months fully paid then down to SMP. So do I bear all the stress for the 3 months pay to extend mat leave or jump ship where I'll be happier but risk having Maternity Allowance only?

The firm I've built a relationship with are nice, but I still wouldn't wanna risk telling them and then the opportunity is gone.

Me and my husband are on decent wages, work hard, yet he's looking at weekend jobs currently to try afford a reasonable time off for me.

Any advice is very welcome, I'm so blessed but it's a minefield.

What would the increase in pay be? Would it make up for the loss of the 3 months full pay on maternity leave?

ETA - obviously any increase in pay would make up for the loss eventually. I guess I actually mean how quickly would it make up for it.

How long do you plan to take leave for? You might be better off staying staying where you are for guaranteed pay than move to a new small company who might be less flexible.

If you get a good feeling for them be honest and say you can start after your maternity leave ends - it’s unfair to take a new job in a small company if you know you’re going to go on leave shortly after starting

I believe my pay would be matched.
Wondering whether I wait to get a job contract then tell them

I feel like I could be let go at any point though due to being in sales and the company being v turbulent right now. So there's that.

And sure, I'd be there for at least 8 months before leaving for what I'd hope would be a year.

While I agree there's an element of it being unfair, I'm pregnant and have to put myself first in such a tricky financial situation with little options. Feels like the world is against working mums

Don't tell them until you have a contract in hand. Unless you're going to withdraw in which case don't mess them around and potentially burn your bridges.

3 months pay isn't so much that it would make me stay in a job I didn't like, that was insecure and inflexible. Can you save as much as possible between now and the baby?

Why is your dh working weekend jobs when you both earn well?

Thanks, yeah I'm not spending a penny until then now!

We are both earning well for our ages, but it will still be tough to pay bills on mat leave. We will have to manage to save £400 each month just to cover bills which will be v steep for us

It’s not unfair at all. Companies hire people for the long term, not just for a few months. If you’re the right person for the job, you’re still the right person regardless of your uterus, and still bring value before and after maternity leave. It’s just a short break in the scheme of it and they don't even need to pay her maternity pay!

Men don’t get told it’s unfair if they start a new job and then need time off for surgery or health stuff, so why should pregnancy be any different? Women shouldn’t have to put their lives or careers on hold just because our bodies do something men’s don’t.

Thank you @TartanMammy - it's crazy how guilty I've been feeling all day when it's truly a blessing and I'd work hard and overcompensate at any company like mums do!

I was in a similar situation earlier this year. I was made redundant the day I found out I was pregnant and another company opened up a role for those lost from my company. I went through the application and interview process without saying anything. I had had two miscarriages in the previous 6 months so I knew it wasn't a given that this pregnancy would result in a baby.
I would have been in mat allowance either way though.

As it happened I got to 12 weeks and saw a bouncing baby on the scan and found out a week later than my colleague had been given the job. It has been hard to be out of work in pregnancy but my old company is going through a second round of redundancy and my former position has gone completely. I'm having pregnancy complications as well and I'm feeling quite fortunate that I'm not also going through the stress of potential job loss at the same time

Varies from company but usually a minimum work period to be entitled to maternity pay / SMP. I know my company is 6 months for example. Id read any new contract thoroughly to see what your entitled too but personally think the same as PP, 3 months pay isnt really that much in the grand scheme of things I dont think it would stop me from moving to a better more secure job.

You might not get any mat pay at all in your new role can you afford that?

So sorry to hear you have had to go through all this and so sorry for your miscarriages. I'm glad you understand the impact that uncertainty can have, it's not nice.

So are you currently just on MA and not working? How is that going are you financially ok?

Thanks. And even if I don't qualify, I think I'd get Maternity Allowance

I think I'd still get Maternity Allowance. Which is roughly the same minus the first 6 weeks

Absolutely should not do that.

Yep I'm just on maternity allowance.
Historically my partners career has been the unstable one so we have always set our finances based on one salary. We can afford to be without my salary probably for 2 years with our immediate impact. It will be longer term plans that might be more effective. My redundancy payment ended up about 6 months take home pay so I have that too

I applied for maternity allowance as soon as I could and that is giving me about £700 a month. I'm hoping to start applying for jobs when baby is 6 months. I have a 5 year old too and it has been good for her to have me around more. I've been getting involved with the scouts to give me a bit of something to focus on and trying to gain some more skills

What would you suggest would be in my interest then?

Honesty, obviously!

Not disclosing is not the same as being dishonest. Would you be saying the same if someone chose not to disclose a disability at interview? It will obviously prejudice the process, no matter how 'inclusive and equal' the company claim to be.

Op i wouldn't tell them until you have an offer in writing. I started a new job in my first pregnancy and only got maternity allowance, we saved like mad to get me the year off.

Because are plans to take a year off. Nit many surgeries result in this.

is there a probation period?

Cancer treatment? Accident resulting in disability? Or unexpected illness, for example my SIL got unwell, lost a limb and was off work for well over a year.

A man could also get the job and take his full entitlement of shared paternity leave. Does this mean he should declare his partner being pregnant at interview?

The misogyny on this post is unreal.

Too true. I stupidly mentioned that I was due for heart surgery (no date though) while job seeking & all openings vanished like the snow in spring.
It's all very fine & large to talk about 'honesty' but it doesn't go two ways & you have to think of you & yours first.

What is your notice period in your current job?

I was in a similar situation and found out I was pregnant whilst interviewing. I had a 3 month notice period and delayed handed in my notice for 1 week so I left my old company 15 weeks before the expected due date, which entitled me to statutory mat pay from my previous company (ie I got the 90% pay for 6 weeks). I benefitted from Christmas holidays in the middle which dragged things out a bit so I handed in my notice around 12w pregnant, but worth bearing in mind if you have the option.