Inform Potential Employer of Upcoming Baby

lizzbeth292

I have an interview on Tuesday with a company I have always wanted to work for. I'm about 19 weeks pregnant, so not really showing just yet. Should I tell my interviewer that I am pregnant and expected to deliver in December? I haven't gotten my Bach degree yet (still working on it), and I've worked in this field for only a year. Having said that, my chances are already slim, and would be even slimmer if I tell them I would have to leave on maternity for 6 weeks. Any advice?

ChiccoBeanz

You have 2 options. You can be candid and let them know at the interview, and see if they hire you. Or you can see if they hire you, and then after the probationary period speak to them about it. I think being candid is better, but I understand that doing so may also hinder your chances of getting hired.

lizzbeth292

"Possible", not "Potential" ^_^

hailees

That's exciting! Congrats on your interview. If you search "new job" or "interview" there is a lot of additional information on this subject that has been discussed. Good luck!

jenbstevens

Sorry for people who have heard this several times, I have posted this previously when this question came up.

I interviewed and was offered a job at 10 weeks as a high school special ed teacher. I was obviously not showing and it didn't come up in the interview. They offered me the job later that day and I told them the situation and they had no problem with it. I feel strongly that you should tell an employer before you accept a job, but can wait until they offer.

Whether you are pregnant should not impact their desire to give you a job. However, you shouldn't keep it from them once you know you will be working for them. Whenever they do find out it might reflect badly on you that you kept it a secret, especially this late in the game when your only reason to keep it would be to get the job (unlike if you were keeping it because it was early). I understand not wanting it to impact their decision to offer you a job but would you want to work for an employer that would rescind a job offer because you were pregnant anyway? Besides the fact that it would be illegal. I say go to the interview and tell them when they offer. Good luck!

GingerTurtles

ChiccoBeanz said:

You have 2 options. You can be candid and let them know at the interview, and see if they hire you. Or you can see if they hire you, and then after the probationary period speak to them about it. I think being candid is better, but I understand that doing so may also hinder your chances of getting hired.

No, no, no. Never disclose pregnancy in an interview. Anybody who does any interviewing will tell you that they DO NOT want you to disclose things like religion, family status, etc., in an interview. 

OP, go to the interview. If they extend an offer, THEN tell them when you formally accept the offer. Tell them you want to negotiate a period of leave now rather than wait until it gets closer. 

delujm0

GingerTurtles said:

ChiccoBeanz said:

You have 2 options. You can be candid and let them know at the interview, and see if they hire you. Or you can see if they hire you, and then after the probationary period speak to them about it. I think being candid is better, but I understand that doing so may also hinder your chances of getting hired.

No, no, no. Never disclose pregnancy in an interview. Anybody who does any interviewing will tell you that they DO NOT want you to disclose things like religion, family status, etc., in an interview. 

OP, go to the interview. If they extend an offer, THEN tell them when you formally accept the offer. Tell them you want to negotiate a period of leave now rather than wait until it gets closer. 

This.

Keep in mind that in most cases in the US, you would not qualify for short term disability insurance at this new employer when you have your baby because most plans require that you be employed for a year to get coverage. For most companies short term disability coverage is the only way you get paid during maternity leave. Also, you would not be covered under FMLA until one year of employment and therefore would not be entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid leave, and your employer would be under no obligation to hold your job for you while you were gone.

Because of this you will absolutely want to negotiate your maternity leave if you are offered the job. So if you get an offer, tell them then.

NHKx2

No employer in their right mind would hire you if you told them at the interview that you were 19 weeks pregnant. You have no moral obligation to say anything in the interview process. I personally wouldn't say anything until I had signed the contract and started. I doubt they will negotiate anything special for maternity leave for you if you disclose your pregnancy as part of the offer negotiations (what leverage do you have? Are you the only candidate?) but at offer stage is the earliest you should say anything. Protect yourself first, you owe them nothing up front.

MyCousinVinny

In an ideal world, you should tell them in the interview and it wouldn't affect your chances of getting hired.

However, while it's illegal to discriminate against pregnant women, a potential employer could make up another reason that you didn't get the job very easily.  My opinion is to wait until you have formally accepted an offer and signed any/all documentation of accepting the position.

I have a little story . When I was 5 months pregnant with DD1, I was interviewing at various companies.  I wasn't showing and chose not to disclose my pregnancy.  Finally, I was offered a position and upon receiving this offer, the HR manager stopped and said, "Oh, um, I don't think this is going to work out.  I didn't realize you were pregnant and our company is going to need someone more reliable."

I was stumped.  Obviously what she said was very illegal and I should have taken action but I was so shocked and upset that I said nothing.  It was at that moment that I decided I would NEVER disclose a pregnancy before signing documentation because discrimination DOES happen and I never want to be treated that way again.

The way I see it is, you need a job.  You have a family to provide for and a life to live.  The people interviewing you and the company you want to work for?  They have jobs.  It's a dog-eat-dog world and sometimes you have to play a little dirty in order to get where you want to be.  Is it the moral thing to do or the nice thing to do?  No, not at all.  But there comes a time where you have to put your needs ahead of others' and if that means they find out about your pregnancy a little later on, so be it.

You gotta do what you gotta do.

Good luck!

nram25

@MyCousinVinny I totally agree your response is well put.