Help! Scared of telling that Boss that 2 (of a 3-woman Department) are pregnant & due at same time...

[SandieDee]

I work for a small company (approx 17 staff) and manage a department of 3. Both myself and a colleague are preganant (EDD's 1-day apart!). I have to tell my boss this week but he has had problems with pregnant staff in the past (last 2 both commenced sick leave within 1st Trimester). He's an approachable guy and he has complete confidence in my team - but I'm sure this news will give him a heart attack.
Any thought???

[lou031205]

Well, you either wait until 25 weeks, which is the legal point at which you need to tell, or you tell now, or split the news, one now, one in a few weeks.

To be honest, that's life. And people do get sick in the first trimester at times.

[EffiePerine]

How far on are you? I didn't tell my boss until about 12 weeks (and then you're past the 'problem' period he encountered in the past)

[EffiePerine]

also think about how you are going to manage any potential issues - cover for medical appointments, plans in place for sick absence, risk assessments etc. etc.

plus think about mat cover - do you want 2 new members of staff starting at the same time?

[SandieDee]

We have both had our scans so just over 12 weeks. (The problem with previous staff preganancies however is that both women pretty much took their full pregnancies off on sick leave.)

[EffiePerine]

well if you haven't taken any sick leave so far he might be reassured

just make sure you have a solution in place if it DOES happen - can you second someone from another team for eg

also think about co-ordinating antenatal appts so you aren't both out of the office at the same time (if you can manage it)

[suey2]

this will not be good news for him, however you put it. I would tell him at the same time (who wants to be second?) and reassure him as best you can. However, you don't know how either of your pregnancies will go so don't make promises you may not be able to keep. And try and find a solution to the staffing issue youself. Also, if you can, I would try and decide asap how long you want to take off afterwards to make the planning easier. This is more than you need to do legally, but it will show willing.