Probationary Period

[anon0704]

Just got a new job (yay) and in the offer letter, it says my probationary period is 12 months. Is this normal? We were TTC and suffered a miscarriage during lockdown, so we're back to TTC (this was before I was made redundant from my last job). If I get pregnant, can they terminate my employment during the probationary period? The job is as a project administrator for a non-profit, by the way.

They can't sack you for being pregnant

In my experience 12 months is a bit long, 3 or 6 months is more usual.

@dementedpixie

They can't sack you for being pregnant

They can however dress it up as something else.

They can sack you at any time in the first two years, as long as it isn't for a discriminatory reason (such as pregnancy).

Yeah, been there before with the whole "pregnancy" thing with my son. They said I wasn't "qualified" which I later found out to be BS, but by then, it was too late to do anything.

I suppose when a company hires someone in their thirties with one kid already, pregnancy is something that might happen. Most of the work will be from home, admin type stuff. I don't think it'll be an issue.

And yeah, 12 months seems long...I'll ask about it at my induction training.

• can sack you without reason or process

Yes they can terminate for any reason they wish, except discrimatory. So they can’t say they are terminating as your pregnant. They can just say they are terminating as they feel it’s not working out

You’d then need to prove it was pregnancy related and rhey were going to keep you on otherwise.

Is it a bit long, yes, can they do this, yes.

12 months is long for a probationary period.

Although if you were still there at 25 weeks pregnant they'd still need to pay you maternity pay even if your employment ended after that

Okay, that's very good to know re: maternity pay :-)

The length of probationary period is only relevant to any internal policies, for instance if you get a pay rise at the end of it. It has no relevance in law, so I wouldn't focus on it much at all.

@ChaChaCha2012

The length of probationary period is only relevant to any internal policies, for instance if you get a pay rise at the end of it. It has no relevance in law, so I wouldn't focus on it much at all.

Ohhhh, I had no idea about that. I'm from the US and even after ten years, the intricacies of UK employment law still baffle me.

That is very long for a probationary period - usually the longest period is 6 months.

They can not sack you for being pregnant, but they can choose to not offer you a permanent contract for pretty much any reason that's not discriminatory. It's not hard to believe some shitty employers would find a reason to get rid of a pregnant woman if they didn't want the hassle, and disguise it as something else.

Personally I don't rock the boat at all in probation periods, I don't even take sick leave or annual leave if I can help it. But a year is a very long time and they are being unreasonable. Can you query it?

If you're in the US the employment and discrimination may be different.

Shes not in the US - she said she's from the US.

@anon0704

Okay, that's very good to know re: maternity pay :-)

I don’t want to be disheartening but unless you never meet them in person they will often be able to tell you’re pregnant by looking at you before that. Also if you don’t tell them you can’t take time off for ante natal appts unless you use holiday.

You don’t need to tell them until fifteen weeks before your due date, but as said, that gives complications in terms of if they can see you, or you need time fir antenatal appts.

If they are that kind of company though. Which they might be, it’s a risk, if they are decent, which they also might be, then it’s not.

I'm not pregnant now. We're TTC after a miscarriage in April.

Yes, sorry, I know that op, and good luck 💐

@Bluntness100

Yes, sorry, I know that op, and good luck 💐

Thanks :-)