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Freelance and pregnancy issues

2 replies

PeppermintInfusion · 24/10/2014 10:47

I've posted on here before about how I was facing redundancy, pregnant and started freelancing, with the opportunity of a perm role.

I'm due late Feb, and my current 6 month contract was due to expire around then anyway so I thought id work as late as I could, get mat allowance as I'm self-employed, take a 6m mat leave (or less)and keep my eye on the market during that time to try to have something lined up.

In my current freelance role an equivalent perm position came up, I interviewed (it was an informal chat with the line mgr) and was verbally told by mgr I had the role, but "paperwork takes time". No HR involvement at any time to date (except to set up the "interview", unusual to me but apparently common in this company).
The plan was to disclose my pregnancy once I was officially offered the role.

This was about 4 weeks ago, and I have heard nothing. A few times the mgr has contacted me (my mgr is in a different country) to ask if local HR has been in contact.

I am now almost 23 weeks pregnant (small bump, not noticeable and obviously I disguise for work). If I was an employee I know I'd need to tell them by next week, but as they are my client I am not obliged.
I was going to wait it out, but obviously I am getting conscious that I could become very obviously pregnant in the next few weeks. It is further complicated in that I have discovered via a reliable means that my boss is leaving next month, but he has not told me this information.
If he leaves, there is nobody who could step in while I'm off, also I would soon need to commit to project work that I could not do if I am on ML/heavily pregnant, but they are presuming I'll be there either way in either a freelance or employee capacity (they have never asked me directly to do this work or specifically assigned it to me, but it is presumed I will do it).

So my issue is, do you think I need to disclose my pg even though I have no firm contractual offer?

OP posts:
maggiethemagpie · 24/10/2014 20:09

Your manager verbally telling you you have the role does not amount to much. Do you have any kind of paper trail even an email? If you haven't got the offer in writing yet can you email him getting him to confirm. Or even email saying 'you know you said the offer would be on it's way soon...' and see what he says in response?

I'd do this before announcing your pregnancy. Then if they don't give you the job, and you believe it is due to your pregnancy (ie if they give it to someone else, not if they just say they no longer need that job) then you have some evidence of discrimination.

I think whether you announce it or not, your job offer may go up in smoke when your boss leaves. Could he be stalling because he knows it may not happen, but he's leaving soon and doesn't want to let you down before he goes?

PeppermintInfusion · 25/10/2014 07:05

That was my concern exactly maggie. However he mentioned it in an email (job offer is definite we are just pending contract, he also copied me in an email to HR about this). so I thought at least I have it in writing and spoke to him about pg, and no issues Smile

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