When to tell the boss....

[pixima]

New to posting but desperately need some advice about when to tell my employers I'm pregnant... (Sorry it's long!)

I work in quite a high pressured sales job and inherited a management position 4 months ago. If I wasn't 17 weeks pregnant I would probably be finding it easier but as it is I'm struggling physically and mentally.

My employers don't know yet although people I work with have guessed - my boobs are enormous and I suffered awful nausea for the first 14 weeks! I've been promised a pay rise several times but whenever I raise the subject I'm told our department isn't performing and my pay rise can't be justified until things improve. Incidentally my predecessor left because they felt there was no chance of reaching the ridiculously high targets. So all this pressure and responsibility for no more money. I was promised a pay review this week but this morning was told our results haven't improved enough to warrant it. I'm p**d off as I was promised it would be back dated. i haven't said anything about my pregnancy to my superiors because I wanted my pay rise finalised before I did but I can't hack it any more. I'm working 10/11 hour days and doing lots of lifting/shifting and general running around. I'm trying to carry on as normal but realise now I can't continue at this pace. After my first scan I was told I have to attend the hypertension clinic and feel I need to put my health and my baby first. I need to slow down.....

If I tell my superiors I'm pregnant will I ever get this elusive pay rise? where do I stand legally if it's been promised and after i break the news it never happens? Can they get away with not giving me what I believe I'm owed? I know I'm not obliged to tell them for a while yet but really can't keep doing what I've been doing.

Any one got any advice on how I should handle this?

Sorry I don't have any legal advice. If you want a random opinion though it sounds to me, from their repeated putting you off, that they aren't intending to give you a payrise any time soon - promise or not. Call me cynical, but they are dangling this carrot in front of you to make you work harder towards the "ridiculously high targets".

I understand how you feel (worked stupidly long hours in first trimester as I'd just been promoted and felt I had to live up to my business case) but looking back now I see that in the big scheme of things it wasn't important and wished I'd taken it easier.

Luckily no serious problems came of it - but why not listen to your doctor, and your own instincts, and stop pushing yourself so hard.

when you say they 'promised' you a pay rise what exactly do you mean? Was it an actual amount, was it a 'rise' or a 'review', was there any kind of timescale put on it, any other conditions and was it all in writing?

unfortunately not in writing. I was originally told a figure had been discussed in the higher reaches of management and it would make a 'significant' difference to my monthly pay packet.

I don't think it's gonna happen so it's time to slow down. It's not about the money now. I need a bit less stress in my life so I'm going to tell them this week and I'm definitely not doing any more unpaid overtime!

oh.... initially I was told 3 months, then a further 4 weeks. Then it was 'soon'.

Whatever.