Trying to find a teaching job while pregnant

mrsdolley

Hi there! I am currently 23 weeks pregnant and I am interviewing with several schools for  teaching positions. I am on the bigger side so I have been able to hide what little bit of bump I have pretty well during interviews. If I am formally offered a position I am not sure when to the new boss that I am pregnant. My due date is September 27th, just in time for school to get started and me be out. I have already planned to work as long as I can and come back as soon as I can.
So my question is when is the best time to break the news? Obviously after an offer has been made but should be once the contract is sitting in front of me waiting to be signed or after I have already signed it? I know basically either way I am going to look bad for telling them up front but I also know I NEED a job to support my family and I would be turned down for being pregnant. They might not tell me that's why I didn't get the job but I'm not stupid. Thanks in advance for the help! I am actually off to a job fair and interview now!

cMichelle0423

Wait until after you sign.

bluebird0521

You are under no obligation to tell any employer you are pregnant until 30 days before you plan to take leave like FMLA. So don't tell them until you are ready. 

Definitely wait until after you have signed the contract, but don't feel like you have to tell them immediately after either. Wait until you are comfortable.

saraeric

I know with my school district, we're supposed to tell HR as soon as we can...I waited till after 1st tri but told my principal sooner as he'd need to start planning for a long term sub and teaching assignments for next year. Also, with my district, there is no "paid" maternity leave. You have to use your sick days and can only use up to 40 of them, taking the last 4 weeks (of a 12 week leave) unpaid. And someone correct me if I'm wrong, but you might not be eligible for FMLA if you haven't been working for the district for at least a year. I know how tough it is to find a teaching position, good luck with your job hunt! 

reneenearl

Do you know if you will have a probationary period? Are
You allowed to take long leaves during your probationary period? You won't be protected under FMLA.

24karat

saraeric said:

I know with my school district, we're supposed to tell HR as soon as we can...I waited till after 1st tri but told my principal sooner as he'd need to start planning for a long term sub and teaching assignments for next year. Also, with my district, there is no "paid" maternity leave. You have to use your sick days and can only use up to 40 of them, taking the last 4 weeks (of a 12 week leave) unpaid. And someone correct me if I'm wrong, but you might not be eligible for FMLA if you haven't been working for the district for at least a year. I know how tough it is to find a teaching position, good luck with your job hunt! 

You are correct on FMLA. FMLA job protections only apply if you've been employed at the job at least 12 months and have worked a certain number of hours. OP will also not qualify for paid maternity leave if her employer only offers paid leave via a STD policy, as those need to be in place prior to pregnancy.

24karat

saraeric said:

I know with my school district, we're supposed to tell HR as soon as we can...I waited till after 1st tri but told my principal sooner as he'd need to start planning for a long term sub and teaching assignments for next year. Also, with my district, there is no "paid" maternity leave. You have to use your sick days and can only use up to 40 of them, taking the last 4 weeks (of a 12 week leave) unpaid. And someone correct me if I'm wrong, but you might not be eligible for FMLA if you haven't been working for the district for at least a year. I know how tough it is to find a teaching position, good luck with your job hunt! 

You are correct on FMLA. FMLA job protections only apply if you've been employed at the job at least 12 months and have worked a certain number of hours. OP will also not qualify for paid maternity leave if her employer only offers paid leave via a STD policy, as those need to be in place prior to pregnancy.

golfingdarwinfish

I would be extremely worried about burning a bridge in this situation and would evaluate different employment opportunities for LO's first year of life with the intent to return to teaching for the 2015-2016 school year.

MrsSarahRenee

I would add that my school district they hire you but you don't sign until the first day of school which in my case would be less than 30 days from your due date. FYI hiding it may not work. Be up front or seek other forms of employment like a long term sub after baby is born.

sandrabrooke

I would say you might be worse off doing this now since you'll burn bridges with potential job opportunities.  I'd wait a year, try again, and see what you find.

In the mean time, I agree with PP about seeking out a tutoring position or short-term sub job.  

yeah.

I'd either tell them now, or not accept a job. You'll be burning a huge bridge by showing up for 3 weeks and leaving, and you won't be hired back the following year. If you're really good and they really want you, it won't matter.

lookame3639

Here is another issue..you don't know when you'll go into labor. You may be in labor the first day of school and taking off 12 weeks right at the beginning. Your students won't have a relationship with you which could make them harder to teach/harder for them to get into your teaching style. Some kids don't do well with sudden changes.

By not telling them you are pregnant you are placing a huge distrust in yourself making you look like this position isn't really worth it to you. I do understand the need and want to be employed but if you accept a position and then are gone for a major part of the year you will most likely not be asked to come back and any other position who calls previous employers will also know what you did. This could possibly leave you without a job a lot longer than you expect.

Lgillaspie

cozybluebear

My concern is how the students will be affected. We all remember from school how substitutes were... they either did nothing or jammed us with work but didn't teach us how to do it. Either way, it's not a great way to start out the year. You might be better off applying for next school year.

bohemianlc

Legally, you do have a right not to tell them, and I completely understand you feeling the need to watch out for your family's well-being above all else. This is a really tough situation. 

As an educator myself, I wouldn't feel right about not telling them and would be direct about it from the start. Sure, it may mean that I wouldn't get the job, but then at least I'm being honest and not burning bridges for the future. 

The school's administration is likely to feel very frustrated that you weren't up-front about your pregnancy, and that may end up influencing their decision about whether to offer you a contract the following year. They are likely to be concerned because learning simply isn't as productive in a class with a substitute, and it's also expensive for the district to have to hire in a long-term sub while you're out. As I'm sure you know, there's also a lot more to teaching than just classroom instruction. You will need time to bond with your students and become familiar with the school's overall culture, which you obviously can't do right off the bat if you're on maternity leave. 

You will also likely face a lot of challenges with parents. I have a "teacher friend" who had been Teacher of the Year at our school and had an excellent reputation. When she had to be out at the beginning of the year, she faced a lot of animosity from parents upon her return who felt that their children hadn't received the best educational experience because she had been out. This of course wasn't fair to my friend, but the reality was that she had a pretty miserable year dealing with parents, even with a well-established reputation. 

I agree with previous posters that it might be a good idea to seek employment elsewhere for the coming school year. You could try tutoring centers or even take on a secretarial position or a retail job for just this year. When applying for jobs next year, explaining that you didn't want to put students at a disadvantage by starting at a new school and going on leave will make you look like a true gem .  

Best of luck to you!!

Leysin97

I understand your concern and the difficult situation you are in. I'm sorry you are going through this dilemma. I would be concerned though about not saying something as soon as possible. I am not due until October but already have a long term sub lined up. Not all districts are the same and although I will be out on FMLA I was still responsible for setting up and acquiring a long term sub. The district should have a list of subs. What makes it difficult though is finding a good sub. Being out is going to be hard on the students and on top of that could cause some difficulty with parents especially with those students that are struggling. For this reason and a smoother transition I wanted to make sure I have someone reliable lined up. Remember that sub will be handling grades, planning, as well as parents to an extent but you will still be the teacher of record.

Ultimately he decision is up to you if you tell then before or after. Like pp said however I would be concerned about starting off on the wrong foot with the administration as well. 

Good luck!