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Original poster

Job offer whilst pregnant

39 replies

Explorers10 · 22/07/2019 17:48

I’m 2 months pregnant and I applied for a permanent job as I’m currently on a fixed term contract and they have offered it to me. I was in two minds going for the interview because of being pregnant but really wanted to give it a go. The recruiter gave me really good feedback on the phone and also said my current manager put in a good word for me. I now feel incredibly guilty that I’m pregnant and haven’t made him or my current line manager aware. I’m also on 3 months notice where I work and they won’t shorten it for me so when I join my new work i will be 5 months pregnant. What should I do? Be honest and tell the truth that I’m pregnant? I really want the job but really worried about burning bridges if I’m not honest about my pregnancy before accepting the role but I’m also nervous about them retracting the offer. I wanted to wait until my 12 week scan which is another month away before telling anyone as it’s such early days. Feel so awful about letting people down.

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Pissedoffinsomniac · 22/07/2019 17:57

Congratulations on your pregnancy. No advice but do you not have any annual leave to shorten your notice period? How long is your fixed term contract and how long have you been with your current employer? Employers aren't supposed to discriminate but I've found from personal experience that it does happen... if you tell your current place you're pregnant you may be able to negotiate an early exit for the other job?

PocaNinja · 22/07/2019 17:59

Tell them when you start, also tell them you were waiting for the 12 week scan before telling anyone. you’ve done nothing wrong by being pregnant and it won’t affect your ability to the role. Good luck!

codenameduchess · 22/07/2019 18:06

Is it with the same employer or a different one? It's strange you're fixed term with a 3 month notice.

When you say 5 months, how many weeks? You don't actually have to inform an employer until 25 weeks, so while you might feel a bit guilty for not telling them sooner you haven't done anything wrong.
If it's a new employer you might not qualify for any enhanced maternity pay, worth considering if you can manage that too.

Original poster
Explorers10 · 22/07/2019 18:42

Thanks for your replies. I work for the NHS and because I’m on a high grade, the notice period is 3 months. I know it’s silly having a 3 month notice period being fixed term. I tried to shorten it again today but she said because the organisation is going through restructure they want me to work the full notice period. Basically the work won’t be done in that office after the restructure but is still required now. Also they won’t offer me a permanent role where I am now. I think your right perhaps telling my manager I’m pregnant might get her to shorten it but she is really to the rules on it

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Original poster
Explorers10 · 22/07/2019 18:43

@codenameduchess I will be 20/21 weeks when I start the new job

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GreenTulips · 22/07/2019 18:46

I wouldn’t worry about it. I’d wait until your contract is signed and sealed.

There’s nothing they can do then.

If your good enough for the job it’ll still be there after maternity leave

SayNoToCarrots · 22/07/2019 18:46

I think you should go for it if it is a better job for you, but be aware some jobs have policies which require you to have worked there for longer than your pregnancy to qualify for enhanced maternity pay.

Original poster
Explorers10 · 22/07/2019 19:02

The new job will be with another nhs employer so I will still get the nhs mat pay just not the statutory mat pay as not same employer. Hence why my boss knows my new boss and put in a good word. I really want to go for it and I will accept the role and get a contract signed. it’s the moral side for me and burning bridges and not being honest from the start. Hopefully once I say I wanted to wait for 12 week scan they will understand.

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YouJustDoYou · 22/07/2019 19:11

If you;re in the NHS, it will depend on the job. I used to run recruitment for Locums and JDs. We had a desperate need once for two places to be filled for a certain specialty - desperate as in doctor shortage seriously worrying desperate. We had around 5 candidates apply at such short notice - 2 were horrific, one bad, one fantastic and one manageable. The "manageable" interviewee oddly wore a floaty top to the interview - we had to stop the consultants discussing if she were possibly pregnant (as it;s illegal to mention this in terms of reviewing candidates in interview) as they would;ve rather given the role to a doctor who may have been poorer quality but actually physically present to do the role, than one who might not even be around to do it due to maternity leave. Not PC, but the department was utterly on their knees. They offered it to managable interviewee, who promptly said "well, I have to tell you I'll be taking maternity leave". The room went dead silent. It meant the entire department would be utterly shortstaffed and the Trust didn;t have spare allocated finds to advertise for another doctor to cover leave, let alone pay for a seperate salary. My long point is, if it;s a role like that, you need to tell them sooner rather than later so they can better plan if it's coming down to patients suffering because of shortstaffedness.

ChicCroissant · 22/07/2019 19:13

Ah, I was going to suggest you checked carefully to see if it counted as continuous service for maternity leave purposes (especially if you have a chance of enhanced maternity leave) because that is worth looking at - but it seems you have.

Original poster
Explorers10 · 22/07/2019 19:32

@YouJustDoYou I work in the back office and am office based so don’t work directly with patients. But understand your point about patient quality and safety, that would be also a consideration if I worked with patients

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Zarara · 22/07/2019 20:47

@Explorers10 congratulations on your pregnancy. I completely understand the moral dilemma. Not the same but I got pregnant a few months in to a new job and felt awful, I was so nervous to tell work. When the time came around everyone was nice enough to my face and to be fair I’m sure they’ll be thinking other things behind my back but what can they do. In hindsight I’m glad that I didn’t delay the pregnancy as actually life is not as simple as that and if they had to get rid of me I’m sure they wouldn’t feel bad about the process, at the end of the day it’s just a job and you shouldn’t feel guilty putting your family life before work.

Original poster
Explorers10 · 22/07/2019 21:21

@zarara thank you for the congratulations. It’s awful horrible feeling isn’t it. You are right everyone will have their opinions but will not say it to my face. I am going to have to try and put it to one side and put family first. I have been trying get pregnant for ages and took many months of trying. I thought due to my age I left it too long and that I wouldn’t be able to get pregnant again.

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PeoniesarePink · 22/07/2019 21:30

Do the decent thing and tell them.

It's not fair to take the job, take weeks of training and then go onto extended leave.

Then it is their decision.

flowery · 22/07/2019 23:08

”Do the decent thing and tell them.

It's not fair to take the job, take weeks of training and then go onto extended leave.

Then it is their decision.”

Are you suggesting it would be ok for the employer to withdraw the offer of employment because the OP is pregnant? You realise that’s illegal don’t you? Even if you don’t, I’m sure they will!

OP tell them at the point it will actually make a difference for their planning purposes.

Original poster
Explorers10 · 23/07/2019 08:16

The recruiter is on annual leave this week so I have time to think what to do but really appreciate all the responses. I really do want to tell him next week when he is back but worried about the job offer being retracted. I will definitely let him know once I’ve had the 12 week scan.

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GreenTulips · 23/07/2019 08:26

So you are 8 weeks plus a week he’s on holiday so you only need wait another 3 weeks.

I wouldn’t risk the job for a 3 week wait.

flowery · 23/07/2019 08:49

Definitely wait until you’ve had your 12 week scan, that’s a perfectly normal thing to do in the context of employment.

Original poster
Explorers10 · 23/07/2019 10:45

Yes that’s correct, it is 3 weeks until my scan. Thanks for all your advice. I wonder if then I can tell my current employer too then perhaps she shorten the notice period. Fingers crossed. Feeling a lot better but such an awful position to be in. Feel like I’ve been so secretive the whole time & digging myself a bigger hole the longer I’m hiding it

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flowery · 23/07/2019 11:14

Tell your current employer in 3 weeks, see if you can be released early. Once you’ve got a release date, then tell new employer, so you have good news as well as ‘bad’!

GreenTulips · 23/07/2019 11:52

You aren’t in an awful position. It’s good that employers can’t dismiss you for being pregnant! You are the best person for the job.

Last job I had a woman joined at 3 months pregnant and didn’t say a word for 2 months - nobody batted an eye lid

Babies should always be a blessing

Original poster
Explorers10 · 24/07/2019 08:41

Thank you for all your advice. I will let you know in a few weeks how I get on at the scan. If anyone has any ideas how the best way to word it to my new employer that I’m pregnant, please let me know

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Original poster
Explorers10 · 24/07/2019 12:23

Received the offer pack and within it has occupational health work assessment which asks: pregnancy at work regulations: in order to protect your health at work, please indicate, in confidence to occupational health if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Would you answer yes to being pregnant?

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flowery · 24/07/2019 12:32

Well I wouldn’t, because I’m not pregnant. Grin But you should. Obviously it’s not a good idea to lie. The only question is whether you send back the OH form now, or wait until you’ve had your scan.

Have you any reason to believe OH won’t keep it confidential as they say they will?

GreenTulips · 24/07/2019 12:48

I’d send the contract back and delay the OH section.

Some people wouldn’t know they are pregnant at this stage