Just found out I'm pregnant & working notice at work due to start a new job

[lllnelson]

Hi,

I've just found out today I'm pregnant and I'm currently working my notice at work with this next week been my last week and due to start a new job on the 3rd of September...

I'm panicking!! Part of me wishes I was staying at my old job for the 9 months with people I know and the other part wants this new job. The probationary is also 24 weeks so no matter when I tell them I could be at risk of loosing my job. When would you guys tell them?

Congratulations on the pregnancy and sorry it's come at a slightly awkward time re work. I would probably play it by ear at my new job TBH. Obviously it's very early days but if I thought my manager was likely to be sympathetic, I would probably tell them in confidence asap - just so as to be as open as possible and acknowledge that the timing is likely not great for them either and reassure that you'll do anything you can to ensure smooth handover and as little impact on the business as possible.

However if you get the sense that they are likely to make things uncomfortable for you then there's no obligation to tell them until much further down the line - although obviously I would say something before I was showing too much as wouldn't want to be the topic of office gossip!

Just remember that although your new employer may not be over the moon at this news (it is after all going to have an impact on them, they'll have to sort cover etc.) you are protected legally and they definitely can't get rid of you or deny you maternity leave and the right to return to work or anything like that, just because you haven't been employed long.

I wouldnt tell them until I was legally obliged to.

I would check your entitlement to paid maternity leave with the new company, if you don't get SMP you can get Maternity Allowance. Congratulations!

You won’t get SMP if already pregnant before starting with the company.
And the probation is a red herring - you’ve no rights from dismissal for a non-discriminatory reason for 2 years.

Dismissal for being pregnant would be discriminatory so automatically unfair dismissal regardless of length of service

Yes ongoldenpond but if a new employer wants to try and fix it so that the reasons for dismissal are apparently non pregnancy related they could have a good go.

They'd be taking a risk, but they could for example be all over the OP for any breaches in procedure, any perceived non-compliant 'behaviours' etc.... things it would be difficult to link back to a pregnancy.

Of course not all employers are like this so I second the poster who advised to wait a little while and suss it out, maybe get a few weeks under your belt and then decide. But you don't have to inform them until around week 25 of the pregnancy, by which time you are likely to be showing (although baggy clothes may be your friend here)