2 perm job interviews. Tell them I’m five months pregnant or not?

[sellotape12]

I was dismissed right the end of my six month probation a few weeks ago. It’s a messy case of likely pregnancy discrimination but that aside, I’m also out of work and I’m due to give birth in April. A couple of lovely people from my network have got in touch saying that they have open permanent roles. So I’m going to have an initial chat with them, but should I tell them that I’m pregnant? I’ve been assuming that if I get any work it will have to be Freelance or supply until April but I would rather have permanent. In either case I will not qualify for statutory maternity pay, I know that. This is more about whether to admit it or not in a first chat? Think kind, clever good people whom I already know a little bit… It would be a reasonably mid to senior role (no management, no running a department)

Well, presumably they will interview multiple people, and have multiple interviews with each candidate. It takes time to manage all of that scheduling, especially at this time of year. I've seen hires not take place at my organization until 3+ months after the jobs were posted.

Op says the roles are open so id assume theyve already started the process.

Either way, none of this is op's issue and as evidenced on this thread, discrimination against pregnant women is rife with weak reasons to justify it. So its no wonder women do exercise their right to not disclose their pregnancy.

As it happens, one of my best employees started in similar circumstances. Yes it was a bit of a ball ache. But she came back from mat leave fired up with, in her mind, a point to prove, and her performance shit all over everyone else. I find this with a lot of working mums tbh.

Depending on your stage/ industry, if freelancing for 4-5 months would be lucrative, given that you won’t get maternity pay anyway, I might do that and look for a permanent job post mat leave. It would give you a chance to get/improve contacts and scope out where you’d like to be long term rather than grabbing what’s available now.

Ni. Ni. Ni.

Nah I wouldn’t. Tell them on day 1.

I think you're going to have to. You're 5 months, not 5 weeks.

That doesn’t make it right. It makes you a liar, in fact. And won’t make you popular in the new job.

Best to be truthful.

HR person here. Don't tell them til you get the offer. Then you'll both know there was no discrimination in the decision. Is it relevant to tell them at this stage? I'd say not, as they can't discriminate against you so why would you want to introduce thus information before the outcome?

Of course it makes it right! It's. The. Law.

It only makes her a liar if they ask her, which they arent allowed to do. So, no, op would not be lying.

Concealing the truth or lying. Neither are morally right or professional.

Yea, shes not concealing the truth either, theres no truth to tell because its not a subject that should come up.

Besides, as the employer is not allowed to discriminate - morally or professionally (your words) - it would make no difference if she chose to give them this information anyway.

It is absolutely right. Read up on women’s rights/ employment rights/ smashing the patriarchy/ the 21st century. 👍

And of course the law. 🤦🏻‍♀️

No. You don't need to tell them, they're not allowed to ask. You don't 'morally' have to do anything. The law is there to protect you because it's completely ok to accept a job and then go on maternity soon afterwards because otherwise pregnant women would never get offered jobs.

Absolutely not! They're not allowed to discriminate based on you being pregnant, so they don't need to know until you're offered a role.

This thread is very depressing reading. No wonder there is still a gender pay gap. The law is clear, you don't need to tell them until approx 25 weeks. You have another 5 weeks. I can't believe the hard time you are getting on here!

It’s truly shocking!

As a a HR professional, I prefer it if a candidate does not disclose in this circumstance. Otherwise, if they are not the right person i worry they will see it as pregnancy discrimination. Or worse, if they are the right person, but the hiring manager wants to fudge it so they aren't.... it's a massive headache basically...

No thanks! 😂

Many things are legally right but not morally right.

I know the kind of person I would rather be and that is a truthful one.

They’re good enough to reach out to you about the roles, so yes, I would definitely be mentioning your current position.

One thing to bear in mind you probably won’t be eligible for maternity pay but it’s a job for now.

they can’t discriminate you over being pregnant, but they can come to some sort of arrangement.

Tell them. I work for a large corporate institution, but I would hate investing a few months training someone (it probably takes 6 months of training to do the job here) for them to leave. The industry w me are in is so far moving, the training would be competent wasted. We don’t get mat leave replacements so would put me off employing women.

@Cybiil sounds like you are put off hiring women of childbearing age....if only there was a law to help prevent that!

What this basically means is if you're pregnant you can't go for new jobs or promotions.