I have accepted a new job and have just found out that I am pregnant! Should I now decline this job offer?

[HNatasha]

Hello everyone!

I really need some advice please!

I am a nurse and currently work in an NHS hospital. I am due to start my new job role nursing in the community in 1 month but found out that I am 5 weeks pregnant! This pregnancy was not planned but me and my partner are overjoyed.

Unfortunately, I constantly overthink and have been stressing about telling my new employer about my pregnancy everyday, as I know this is not an ideal situation for them and not what they expected when they hired me, so it makes me feel awful and unable to feel excited about being pregnant because I'm constantly worrying about work. I have not signed a contract yet but I have received my job offer letter and accepted the post with a start date. Funnily enough, I am a very sensible and hardworking person, so I am terrified that this will create the wrong impression of me both to my new employer and colleagues.
Due to COVID-19, I will be advised to self isolate when I am 28 weeks pregnant meaning that I will be starting my new job in February and leaving to start maternity leave in June/ July which again is not ideal for the company! I will be entitled to maternity pay due to continued NHS service.
I have not told my new employer about my pregnancy due to it being very early days and I don't want to risk anything, but due to the nature of nursing, my current manager has advised me to contact my new employer and discuss this with them. She agreed that they will not be too pleased with he news but can't discriminate again me. My family and close friends have suggested that I start my job and to not tell my new employer about my pregnancy just yet, but I also don't want to appear as being untrustworthy if I do not share my news with them as I will be nursing high risk patients. As I was not interviewed by my new manager, this also places me in a very awkward position as my first interaction with them will be over the telephone giving them the news that I am pregnant which is something I would prefer to do in person but am unable to do due to the pandemic.

I am currently working through my 2 month notice period within my current job role and have informed my manager of my pregnancy due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. I have a very good relationship wth my current manager who was very excited for me and has welcomed me to stay in my current role if needed and will be able to accommodate any changing needs. This flexibility is something that I know if hard to find with all managers , and I am unsure if I will receive the same support in my new job being the newbie! I am also comfortable with my team so I know they will take the news greatly!

WHAT SHOULD I DO? Should I start my new job role or stat in my current one?

I am only 24 and do not want to regret not taking this job if the pregnancy turns out to not be viable, however staying in my current role does provide me with stability.
Please help and sorry for the long post!

Thank you so much!

I started my current job when I was 22 weeks pregnant. I'm still there 20 years (and 3 kids) later so they've got their money's worth out of me at this stage.

I did the interviews while pregnant, accepted the job, and then told them. The response? "That's wonderful news. Congratulations".

If you want the job, take it. It doesn't matter whether you go on maternity leave a few months into the job or a few years into it. The only circumstances I would suggest not accepting the job would be if you don't intend to return to work afterwards.

Due to COVID-19, I will be advised to self isolate when I am 28 weeks pregnant

Not necessarily. RCOG guidance is to risk assessment and modify roles, not blanket isolation.

You may be required work from home in June/July, not start maternity leave.

You're a woman of child-bearing age,I assume, so this won't come as a shock to them. Don't apologise for being pregnant or feel guilty.

The time that you'd be off is really short in the life of your career.

I'm recruiting at the moment and all I want, long term, is the best candidate for the job. It wouldn't bother me if they told me they were pregnant. After maternity leave they'd be back and I'd have the best person doing the job. Even if they took five maternity leaves it's really short breaks in the life of a career.

Recruitment is a pain the arse, you were the best candidate and they want you.

Sign the contract!

I'm currently 10 weeks pregnant with my second, DD is only 6 months old so definitely not news my manager was expecting when I went for my return to work interview 😂 I'll be returning from maternity leave this week and finishing again mid June 😆

Not ideal but I think being up front with them is the best way to go. It gives them more time to plan for your departure if nothing else. Good luck

Be upfront - being pregnant shouldn’t make a difference but it dies and could impact the job so honesty is the best policy.

Does, not dies.

If you want the job, sign the contract. Tell them at a later date. You have every right to start the job you have been offered! Anyone could become ill, pregnant, have a severe accident and need time off work, that's life.

Do not turn the job down. Sign the contract and proceed as planned. Don't tell new employer yet, there is absolutely no reason to do so. You're very early on, so unless you need some kind of health and safety related adjustments you wouldn't normally tell an employer just yet anyway, certainly not one you're not working for. I'm sure everything will be fine, but if anything goes wrong with the pregnancy it is likely to be in the first trimester as I'm sure you know, therefore it's perfectly normal (and in this case sensible) to keep it to yourself for the moment.

Once you're starting, tell them, as it is relevant to your risk assessment.

It's obviously not very convenient for the new employer. But life happens and they'll manage. You could easily break your leg on day one as well, and that would also be inconvenient!

Definitely take the job.
Just make sure you don’t have a break in service between jobs, as it can affect your mat leave entitlement.

Please take the job OP. 9/12 months maternity it’s not much in the grand scheme of your career.

Child bearing women should be able for further their careers too and you’re very young to wilfully stagnant your career.

Ultimately you’re a number at work, we all are, this is something your employer will just need to suck up.

Definitely take the job. You are allowed to get pregnant. Employers build in contingency for pregnancies. You would be mad to refuse it.

Sign the contract, start the job, and if you can wait until your probation period is over, tell them then.
I have seen so many threads over the years where women have told new/ prospective employers about a pregnancy and have lost the job. It's illegal but still happens all the time.

Also - don't tell them before you need to. 5 weeks is very very early. Good luck

Definitely take the job! I’m sure you’ve worked hard to get it and were excited about the job when you got it - it’ll likely be easier to go back to that after maternity leave than a job you’re not excited about. Also, 5 weeks is still very early in a pregnancy and unfortunately things are more likely to go wrong in the first 12 weeks so I’d take the job and deal with telling them if (hopefully when!!) you need to when you’ve started.

Good luck in your decision it’s not easy. I’m 6 weeks pregnant and dreading telling my boss and I’ve been there 7 months so I don’t think it gets easier but like everyone says your young and it’s a short amount of time compared to the rest of your life!