Need Some Serious Advice

[DIOR 33]

hi boys/girls

I have been out of work for 8 weeks and I have a job interview on thursday and im pretty sure I have a good chance of getting the job but im 10 weeks pregnant.

I dont like to do the wrong thing but im unsure if not telling them is the wrong thing.

I will work right up till im about 35 weeks and I will go back to work after the baby as well.

HELP PLEASE

[Damo_R34]

never lie, ever. He can't not hire you because you are pregnant, however he can choose someone else and give you a bs reason why you didnt get the job.

BTW, congrats!

[Nightcrawler]

Congratulations Kel!

But I can't even close to back you here .... the business has a business to run, and having a lethergic and sometimes absent pregnant woman working for them is bad for business. I am assuming it is a small business and they wouldn't have the overhead nor ability to hire a stand-in for your absences.

Not to mention the fact you probably won't be able to work until 35 weeks, and you most certainly can't go back straight after the baby (3 weeks is law - if you needed a C-section it is 6-8 weeks).

IMHO you have a moral duty to disclose to the your pregnancy and let them decide. But hey, it's your life.

[DIOR 33]

Thanks babe but i wouldnt be telling lies if i dont say anything

and thats what im worried about i have been for an interview and i didnt get it because im pregnant i know this because she told me

[Nightcrawler]

A lie by omission is still a lie. I have explained why your decision not to tell the business would have a negative impact on them. Surely you realise they will work out you were 10 weeks pregnant at the time of the interview and fire your ass for lying at the interview anyway.

[DIOR 33]

sorry andrew we must have posted at the same time didnt see your reply and thankyou

Yes i agree with you thats why i told the last intreview person that i am but she was a business that only has her and whome ever she was putting on

The company i am going to an interview on thursday is a national company, but i will tell them that i am i think cause i really dont want to deceive them

But some people at the job agency have said i dont legally have to say anything till im 12 weeks but i thought this rule applied for those already employed?

[sssc]

if it was me i wouldn't say anything, 10 weeks is still really early so you have plenty of time to settle into a new job and then when the times right tell the employer you just found out your so many weeks pregnant . but good luck with it all

[RubyRS4]

It comes down to the rule of: is there anything you need to disclose that will affect your ability to do the job?

In this case, yes.

Make it an open discussion with them. You never know your luck. Negotiate a few weeks off with your accrued leave (annual and personal leave) which you could accumulate 3 weeks of by the time of birth. What are the hours of work and nature of the work? See if you can negotiate operating from home for a short period.

My 2c

[Krishy]

Congrats Kelz

but i am with what andrew in regards to everything interview related

[DIOR 33]

i think i will be putting all my cards on the table and telling them that way i know that i have done the right thing all i can do is try i guess

[Weezy]

It will mean BIG trouble for the employer if they don't employ you simply because you are pregnant. and I mean big trouble. But as Damo had mentioned, they will give you some other bullsh!t spill. Imho don't tell them your pregnant if they don't ask.

Congrats on both the baby & the job .

Edited June 1, 2010 by Weezy

[DIOR 33]

thanks hun but if i tell them and i dont get the job then they can just say "there was someone more qualified" and that covers their bum

[Weezy]

Thats right Kel, so imho don't tell them if they don't ask. Your entitled to a career pregnancy or not, that is something an employer will have to deal with. Look out for yourself, not the employer because god knows they look out for them selves. It may make it awkward if you do infact get the job and then later tell them you will need 'x' amount of time off but thats something you'll have to let roll off the shoulders. Like I said, look out for yourself.

[Brezza]

personally i wouldnt tell an employer anything i didnt feel was completely necessary.

i had a holiday planned to London which is coming up early July. i am an accountant and july is the most busiest time for accountants with EOFY.

but i didnt tell them that i had a holiday planned because i really wanted the job, and if it came down to it i would take time off without pay to go for it.

luckily my specific role isnt going to be too effected by financial year close, so i got the time off and am looking forward to my holiday.

BTW i got the job in Feb

if the employer asks are you pregenant, or if you have anything that is going to cause you to take time off tell them.

you shouldnt lie.

but if you feel that it shouldnt be a huge issue then dont make it one.

[Brezza]

Thats right Kel, so imho don't tell them if they don't ask. Your entitled to a career pregnancy or not, that is something an employer will have to deal with. Look out for yourself, not the employer because god knows they look out for them selves. It may make it awkward if you do infact get the job and then later tell them you will need 'x' amount of time off but thats something you'll have to let roll off the shoulders. Like I said, look out for yourself.

exactly!

look after number one,

let them take care of themselves,

couldnt agree more

[writeoff]

Congrats Kellie!

Some things for you to consider:

A lot of people choose not to inform people about a pregnancy within the first 12 weeks. You could based your decision not to inform a potential employer on this principle alone.

If it is a large national company then the paperwork will most likely contain a question along the lines of 'Do you have any medical condition that may impair or prevent you from fulfilling your designated role?' You will have to sign the paperwork.

I imagine that you will be put on a probationary period of 3 months after which you will be about 5 months pregnant and presumably displaying your baby bump vividly.

A large national/multinational company will have policies in place for dealing with a pregnant employee and a new parent. You could always ring the Human Resources department for the company and say (without giving your name) that you are considering applying for a position with the company and want to enquire about their policy for pregnant employees and new parents.

FWIW morally I would feel more compelled to inform a small private business than a large national or multinational company. It appears you share the same morals from your earlier actions.

Nowhere near the same scenario but the last two companies that I worked for, both large multinational companies, I informed them in the first interview (one job had 4 interviews and the other had 6) that I had planned, booked and paid for a holiday within the first few months of the starting date. In both cases it was not a problem as I had given them plenty of notice. I was told in later interviews that they were pleased that I had informed them straight up in the first interview and they would have been less happy had I obtained the position and then informed them.

Good luck!

[Laaksy]

Congrats

I agree don't tell them unless they ask, you don't want

to lie about it, it's a private thing anyways especially being

so early in pregnancy. And if you do get the job they can't

fire you or being pregnant, so I say go for it

hope everything goes well for you.

[RubyRS4]

Kellie, I would play it out like this ...

Do the interview and use the 12 week rule to not discuss your pregnancy. However, if they do raise the question (highly unlikely unless you ARE visibly pregnant) then you should be honest. If you get the job, then give it a fortnight, then ask to see your manager to announce your pregnancy. Assure them you want to retain your job and would like to work out a means to return to work asap. By the time you deliver, you should have some 2 weeks accrued annual leave and 1 week acrued personal leave.

Before arranging an appointment to disclose your pregnancy after the 2 weeks of starting, do check their policy on pregnant employees, and take a long hard look at the Award for your position.

[alr33x]

so much bad advice here, you absolutely tell them. Put your self in the employers shoes not to be harsh but its a commercial world and you will be a very costly employee for them to take on and i doubt if you'll have a job waiting after the baby anyway i would tell them prove your worth so then you do have a job for when you can begin working again down teh track.

lieing from the start is going to hold you in very poor stead, not to mention if u dont tell them and decide to say something in say 1-2 months your still in trial period and can be terminated for no reason. (unless SA is different of course)

[DIOR 33]

thanks guys im so confused i really need a job and want this job as it is working at a very big well known jewlery company and god knows i love jewlery and positiona at this company dont come around often. I have passed the online application and passed the phone interview now i just have the face to face interview

Really it could go 1 of 4 ways

1. Tell them and they commend my honesty and hire me for me

2. Tell them and they get around my pregnancy and say " There was someone more qualified"

3. Dont tell them and get the job

4. dont tell them and dont get the job