Interviewing...disclose pregnancy or not?

nursemarie925 · June 2014

I recently started applying for new jobs and have started the interview process. I have a good chance of getting a job with a company that I have a good history with (long story as to why I originally left). Right now I'm ten weeks, so not completely out to everyone yet.

Just wondering where you all stand on whether to disclose pregnancy during interview process. And if you say no, at what point would you disclose?

Also to add, if this makes a difference, I don't intend to take any health insurance benefits from them and I will return after the allowed time 6 or 8 weeks depending on whether I have a rcs or vbac.

mom2case · June 2014

Legally, they're not allowed to choose not to hire you based on pregnancy. However, if they know and go with someone else, that might be why. There'd be no way to proove that's why they didn't choose you. Personally, I wouldn't tell them at the interview. Once you are in the second trimester, I think they should be made aware.

JosephsSweetie · June 2014

No. Don't tell them until after you're hired.

They can't discriminate against pregnant women, but if they know it might play into their decision and would be really hard for you to prove discrimination. Just take it out of the equation entirely and don't tell.

misslizzy82 · June 2014

I conduct interviews and I would say not to tell them in the interview process. At this point you won't be taking off for months after your hired so it shouldn't be a problem. I wouldn't give them the option of not hiring me because I'm pregnant. They wouldn't be able to not hire you because you're pregnant, but they don't have to give a reason and it could play into their decision.

nursemarie925 · June 2014

That's the worry In my head. The interviewer told me that I already have a "leg up" for the position due to my history. I know legally they can't discriminate, but there's no way to prove that they did.

I was actually in the same position with my last pregnancy and I disclosed and was never able to secure a job the entire pregnancy. I actually interviewed with some of the same companies after I delivered and got multiple job offers

I don't want to be deceitful, but I'm not sure what else to do.

MNgirl326 · June 2014

Don't tell them until you are hired.

Luckily you aren't super far along yet so you can use the "we waited until ____ weeks to tell everyone" exuse. Its not like you are going to be sitting across a table in an interview trying to hide a huge baby bump. You have many months that you are able to work until the baby comes. So, don't worry about it. Go to the interview, do you best and when you are hired, then and only then disclose you are pregnant.

nursemarie925 · June 2014

I would have to check with HR, technically I may be covered under FMLA. I actually just left the company two weeks ago, again long story.

The new job is with a different division then where I left. I guess the easier thing would've just been for me to transfer vs quit. But at the time, I just wanted out. The company as a whole isn't bad, which is the only reason I'm considering going back. Also the hiring managers know of the issues in the division I left, and once they found out where I'd left from, they needed no other explanation.

Pips09 · June 2014

Wait until after you've been given an offer.

drpayne · June 2014

Technically, no, you shouldn't tell them. However, I can tell you if I hired someone and then found out afterwards she was pregnant, I'd be irritated about not getting a heads up that she'd be gone in 7 months. I just don't think you're starting off on the right foot by not disclosing that.

nolansmom08 · June 2014

I would wait until you're given an offer. Working in HR, I would prefer that our managers not have that knowledge when they are interviewing and base their decision solely on the qualifications of the candidate without any potential unconscious bias involved.

Maebb · June 2014

Nope, I wouldn't tell until it's final or until you start. I just interviewed and got a new position within my current company, and I don't plan to tell for a few more weeks, after everything is final.

Maebb · June 2014

drpayne said:
Technically, no, you shouldn't tell them. However, I can tell you if I hired someone and then found out afterwards she was pregnant, I'd be irritated about not getting a heads up that she'd be gone in 7 months. I just don't think you're starting off on the right foot by not disclosing that.

This is exactly why she should not tell. If you'd be irritated because you would want to know that she'll be gone in 7 months, does that mean that the information might affect your decision? If so, that's illegal, so I'd rather just not put the company in a position where they have to navigate through that moral grey area.

drpayne · June 2014

Maebb said:

Technically, no, you shouldn't tell them. However, I can tell you if I hired someone and then found out afterwards she was pregnant, I'd be irritated about not getting a heads up that she'd be gone in 7 months. I just don't think you're starting off on the right foot by not disclosing that.
This is exactly why she should not tell. If you'd be irritated because you would want to know that she'll be gone in 7 months, does that mean that the information might affect your decision? If so, that's illegal, so I'd rather just not put the company in a position where they have to navigate through that moral grey area.

I'd be irritated by someone not being honest, even if she was the best candidate. Just providing some perspective as an employer. You don't have to agree with me.

Bigboneded · June 2014

You dont need to tell them until you are hired, and it is not deceptive....

GromMom · June 2014

I was a hiring manager in the past and do not think you should disclose. They are not legally allowed to ask and this means you are not being deceitful. The person who mentioned being irritated is either not a hiring manager or not taking the law seriously if she's telling you you need to disclose. I wasn't allowed to ask someone if they had cancer either and someone with cancer might need special accommodations during the day for their health care. My point is you don't have to tell and neither does someone else with a need to take off for multiple appointments or take std or ltd. As a manager it was my opinion that I was there to help facilitate someone in having the best career possible and have then contribute their best to the company. If someone was ill or needed leave I always accommodated them and in turn they gave me their best work. Being irritated with someone for needing to deal with life is counterproductive.

kursem · June 2014

i don't think you're being deceitful at all - and I definitely WOULD not disclose it during the interview (i'm a hiring manager also and although I've never discriminated myself I have definitely seen my peers do so - and it's near impossible to prove)

Just think of it as doing what you need to do to ensure financial security for your LO

jennkg3 · June 2014

no! don't tell them. Also, just fyi some states you must take health insurance if the company offers it. At least, here in PA you must take it so for awhile I was covered under two.

atrinh11 · June 2014

I wouldn't tell in the interviews, but I would definitely tell once you have the offer. Unless you don't mind losing the job when the baby comes. You aren't covered under FMLA and I have heard stories of women who were told they would be given no time off at all to have a baby. I would want to be on the same page as the employer about that stuff before I actually signed on. You need to make sure you are going to get those 6 or 8 weeks that you want, because they might not have to give it to you.

mpiemont · June 2014

I would not disclose it- like PP's said, they can't not hire you because of it, but they could not hire you for "other reasons". You deserve to get a great job based on your qualifications!!

doknow · June 2014

I'm in a similar boat. 11.5 weeks along with a second (final) round of interviews coming up next week. I'm not disclosing my pregnancy during the interviews, but if I get an offer I'm debating whether I should say anything before I accept it (because of the FMLA stuff) or wait until after I start the job.

GromMom · June 2014

I also want to throw out there that I've never had a male employee announce his wife's pregnancy super early with the intention of taking FMLA. They've of course taken 8 or 12 weeks to help with the baby but they told maybe a month or two before they wanted the time off. It's the same amount of time, so if a man can do it, I say a woman is no more obligated than a man to give more notice about taking FMLA. Do what's comfortable for you (I do realize in this scenario you don't have FMLA locked in).

nursemarie925 · June 2014

Finally reading everyone's posts and thanks for the input. Just wanted to add a few things.

Std disability isn't an issue for me. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't qualify for a pregnancy being covered since that would be a new coverage for me. Also, I'm not depending on the extra income.

I did have a chance to look up FMLA. And technically I would meet all the guidelines ie minimum number of hours worked. And being an employee for at least a year. There is clarification that it does not have to be a consecutive year, so I don't think they could deny my leave without a legitimate fight. That being said, unless something major happens, I don't plan to take anything other than what my dr would advise either 6 or 8 weeks.

Ultimately I'm still torn, I do feel kind of dishonest even though I can also justify it still being early in my pregnancy and my whole family not even knowing at this point.

Ugh. Luckily I have a little time. My second interview isn't for another week so hopefully I can figure it out.

Again thanks everyone. And hopefully no one is taking anything I said personally or in an offensive manner.

nursemarie925 · June 2014

Thanks, that's the same info I found too

Elsa32 · June 2014

You don't have to tell them. Although you may put a strain on your future working relationship with your employer by not sharing your news. FMLA benefits require an individual to be employed for 1 year I believe, but your employer may offer benefits that do not have the same restrictions. So, you will need to do your homework. Once you are hired, you are entitled to all relevant benefits so don't short change yourself.

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