Should I tell them I am pregnant: New Job offer.

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OK, bit of background. I work in HE as a lecturer 3 days a week. A lot has changed where I work and its not the nicest pace to work anymore. I applied for a full time post recently and was unsuccessful.

I just interviewed for a part time post at another institution, its about 1 hour away on the train and much more emphasis there on research and developing me as a more well rounded academic. I would be involved in establishing the course and the post would be for my other 2 days per week. The following year I would be made full time and the pay scale is a grade higher then where I work now. They really want me and felt I was outstanding on the day, which really boosted my confidence as I feel very undervalued in my current place of work.

Sounds really great but I am also 7 weeks pregnant. I had hoped I would be made F/T In my current place of work ensuring decent maternity pay but this seems unlikely. I feel strange taking the new job on, I would do one semester hen be on matt leave.

My question is would you tell them? I would be 17 weeks on my start day, I do feel that this job would be for the long term and I'm not going to be fly by night, I'm assuming they get that too. How would you handle this? Its such early days at the minute not many people know so I feel its fair to tell them either over the summer or when I start in September. What do you think?

Oh and to put a spanner in the works I'm interviewing for another local post shortly, if I get that it would be a massive spanner in the works!

You don't have to tell your employer until you are 25 weeks and I think you should wait til then.

Unless a pregnancy affects the job you are doing it is none of their goddam business! And 15 weeks gives them plenty of time to recruit your maternity cover. You can prove yourself in that time, and you are avoiding giving them a weapon to discriminate against you with.

I work in a professional field that is meant to be equal opportunities but I have witnessed pregnant women being treated like absolute shit.

12 week scan.
Anybody whos had a baby will understand.
At 7 weeks I'm not sure I'd even done a rest yet!!

Test. Not rest!

I'd tell now. A client tried to recruit me and didn't know if been through a mc and was ttc again - I told them I wouldn't interview as given the circumstances I was hoping to be off soon so didn't think it was fair. They really appreciated my honesty and reassured me that it wasn't an issue at all. I know you don't have to but I can see your reasoning for letting them know and would agree it would build trust.

Congratulations.

There really is no right answer to this. If I tell him now it's giving them more of an oppertunty to discriminate against me as I have nothing much in writing and if I wait he might respect me less. Although my instinct tells me 12 weeks is very fair I wonder would now offer up some brownie points as a new start etc? I'm really trying to second guess one persons opinion on this.

I don't think I'd tell them before the offer of a job is made. That's pointless because if you don't get it you will wonder if that's the reason why. But I also wonder if it's a cast iron guarantee the job will become full-time next year and you will get the job. But I think you will be more thought of if you do tell them sooner rather than later so they can work round your maternity leave.

I would not tell them now. I would definitely not tell them until I had had the results of the 12 week scan and tests, but would probably wait until I was actually in post.

I work in HE and moved jobs when ttc-ing. I didn't mention it at interview and although I got pregnant very soon after they just accepted it and got on with stuff. As I was a recurrent m/cer I did begin to tell them early in subsequent pregnancies just because of additional hospital appts. However I rather stupidly did not put myself up for various additional responsibilities when ttc-ing as I thought it wouldn't be fair to my employer if I went on mat leave. Took five years after my first baby to have another successful pregnancy so I would never advise women to put their careers 'on hold' on the off-chance, esp when academic posts are so difficult to come by.

Will you get an offer in writing before your 12 week scan?

I would tell them when I had the offer in writing, presuming that will be soon. That way, it's still early, so you're still building trust, but you have written confirmation of the job so it feels like you're less likely to be discriminated against.

I honestly think you should tell them sometime before you turn up with a bump! Probably after your 12 week scan. Once they've offered the job & you've accepted they would be crazy to dismiss you because it would be likely to be unfair & colleges are usually good with things like that but if you don't talk to them before you arrive it's going to put relationships under a lot of strain. Also if you are not a trade union member I would join one now. If the worst happened you have someone to fight your corner & you need to have been a member for a little while before you can ask for legal help. good luck deciding! Xx

Dont tell until contracts are signed is my vote. Plenty of people don't go public until after 20 week scan, don't feel bad about it.

Considering I didn't tell anyone before my 12 week scan except my husband, I don't think it will look badly if you wait til then.