Sign contract before or after

bithy75

Hello all,

I posted a question about this situation last week, but I would like to get some feedback on a related question. I am a faculty member at a university, and I already have a contract in place for the coming academic year. I signed it in May. I found out that I was pregnant in June, and I was planning on telling my department chair and dean right at 12 weeks when we return to work in mid-August. Last week I found out that some of my responsibilities are going to change, so I need to sign a new contract to reflect those changes. I'll actually need to go and sign the new contract next week (I'll be 9 weeks pregnant). Will it be unprofessional if I don't mention my pregnancy before I sign the new contract since I'll need to be out on maternity leave for part of that period? Is it better for me to sign it and announce as originally planned in mid-August? I know 12 weeks is the norm, but I feel kind of torn here.

Thanks for your feedback!

CrawltheWarriorKing

I'd still wait the 12 weeks.  It's still plenty of time for them to plan for your absence and for you to have things ready for a temp or whatever they choose to do.

jnnfrrose6

I'd wait for 12 weeks.  It's normal, wouldn't seem out of the ordinary, and you'll still have plenty of time to get ready for being out.

Mrs.RockyM

I'd wait.  You don't have to tell them till you're ready and you don't want it to effect the contract negatively. 

Mrs.RockyM

I'd wait.  You shouldn't be forced to telling your employer that you're pregnant before you're ready.  Like pp said, you're still giving them more than enough time to plan. 

ccam

CrawltheWarriorKing said:

I'd still wait the 12 weeks.  It's still plenty of time for them to plan for your absence and for you to have things ready for a temp or whatever they choose to do.

I agree with this. 

cfaulkner24

I would wait. You are under no legal obligation to tell them at a specific point in time, and as far as they know, you may not have even known when you signed the contract. Stick with your original plan and tell them when you are ready

bithy75

Thanks, everyone, for your feedback. I feel a lot more confident waiting now. :-)

KL777

I would definitely wait.  I was transitioning from one position to another position at a university and was 9 weeks pregnant.  I didn't tell until my co-workers could tell I was showing, which was at 14 weeks.

Sign your contract first and tell after you're in your second trimester.

 

Curls218

They don't need to know when you found out you were pregnant.  I found out at 9 weeks, so for all they know you signed it as a non-PG lady and then found out!

JWSchwarz

Wait, but when you do tell them make it sound like you just found out yourself. You don't have to tell them you knew before you resigned. No one is going to do the math once you're a few months into it.