Maternity Leave

acutting

I posted earlier this morning on the 2nd trimester board about this, but thought I'd swing over here to see if anyone had any other opinions...

 I just accepted a job at a hospital that I need financially, but I didn't tell them beforehand that I was pregnant because honestly, I was afraid they wouldn't hire me and would just say they gave someone more qualified the position or something. 

 Everyone I asked in real life told me not to tell them until after I was hired (some even went as far as not telling them until my probationary period is over) but the general consensus over on the other board if I should tell them asap (I don't do paperwork or anything until later this week). I'm still not showing enough that they could tell for sure and scrubs hide my belly pretty well. I'm just confused as to what I should do now though. If I don't tell them right away, when IS the right time to tell them? I don't even want paid maternity leave, just a job to come back to after 3 or 4 weeks of hanging out with the baby.

 

ps the funny thing is, I'll be working in the same hospital as I'm delivering and the unit right beside the one I'll be delivering in. Someone give me some opinions please!!

dpdw

"I don't even want paid maternity leave, just a job to come back to after 3 or 4 weeks of hanging out with the baby."

You won't qualify for FMLA coverage, so they legally don't have to hold the job for you.  Your only solution is to get on their good side & pray they hold the job.  IMO that's giving them as much notice as possible.

luvmagoldn

How long is the probationary period? 

 

tnpjuly04

If I could, I would probably wait until the probationary period was over too (depending on how long it is).  They cannot fire you for being pregnant.

Also, I'm not positive about this, but even though you don't qualify for FMLA, you still would be covered under short term disability for medical reasons - I don't think they can fire you for taking the medically allocated time. 

EastCoastBride

dpdw:

"I don't even want paid maternity leave, just a job to come back to after 3 or 4 weeks of hanging out with the baby."

You won't qualify for FMLA coverage, so they legally don't have to hold the job for you.  Your only solution is to get on their good side & pray they hold the job.  IMO that's giving them as much notice as possible.

This.  The longer you wait, the more annoyed they will probably be

acutting

luvmagoldn:

How long is the probationary period? 

 

 

I'm not 100% sure but I think its only 30 days. I will find out for sure this week though. 

Maybride2

dpdw:

"I don't even want paid maternity leave, just a job to come back to after 3 or 4 weeks of hanging out with the baby."

You won't qualify for FMLA coverage, so they legally don't have to hold the job for you.  Your only solution is to get on their good side & pray they hold the job.  IMO that's giving them as much notice as possible.

Ditto this, 100 times over. 

Tell them asap, so that you can negotiate time off when you deliver.  You're already at their complete mercy, don't give them a reason to not want to work with you on this.

Maybride2

tnpjuly04:

If I could, I would probably wait until the probationary period was over too (depending on how long it is).  They cannot fire you for being pregnant.

Also, I'm not positive about this, but even though you don't qualify for FMLA, you still would be covered under short term disability for medical reasons - I don't think they can fire you for taking the medically allocated time. 

They can't fire you for being pregnant, but they most certainly can refuse to give you time off and fire you for not coming to work when you were scheduled.

And not all employers carry STD policies, and not all STD policies work the same way and cover the same things. 

 

jlw2505

Once you have a job offer, you can tell them as they can't legally take withdraw the offer due to pregnanacy unless they can prove that it will get in the way of your being able to do you job.  Do you have the offer in writting?  If so, tell them ASAP.  Most large companies have a policy for leave if you have been employed for less than 12 months and don't qualify for FMLA.  My company offers 6 weeks unpaid for maternity if you have been there less than a year.  I would contact the HR department and find out what the policy is.

gniddew

jlw2505:

Once you have a job offer, you can tell them as they can't legally take withdraw the offer due to pregnanacy unless they can prove that it will get in the way of your being able to do you job.  Do you have the offer in writting?  If so, tell them ASAP.  Most large companies have a policy for leave if you have been employed for less than 12 months and don't qualify for FMLA.  My company offers 6 weeks unpaid for maternity if you have been there less than a year.  I would contact the HR department and find out what the policy is.

This.  Start with a confidential conversation with HR and find out your options... go from there.