Interviewing while pregnant - when do you tell them?

Re: Interviewing while pregnant - when do you tell them?

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  Ceridwen77 member

  August 2015

  You're not required to say that you're pregnant nor are they able to ask. However, I would agree with your sentiments if I were in your situation and would want to let them know that I was pregnant. Just simply tell them that you are expecting a child on x date and here are your plans for leave. Or if you don't have plans say that you'd like to talk with HR about options and/or work with them since you know you will be new on the job.

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  MyCousinVinny member

  August 2015

  I understand how at this point, you would feel morally obligated to let them know.  Have you signed any official documentation about the position?  Someone posted something similar to your post awhile back and I'm just going to copy and paste my response here, as I feel it's applicable.  But my main area of concern is signed documentation prior to disclosing any news of pregnancy.

  
  

  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!

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  delujm0 member

  August 2015

  Wait until you have a written offer in hand to tell them. It sounds like they really want to hire you so hopefully they won't be put off by your pregnancy. Also, it would be illegal for them to rescind their offer simply because you are pregnant, so you'll want it in writing as proof that the offer was made.
  
  HOWEVER, and this is super important, before you accept the job you need to figure out their maternity leave rules, because if they're not in your favor you could potentially negotiate it into your offer. If the company simply operates under FMLA, you will not be covered, because you must be employed for a year prior to the birth to qualify. That means that you will have zero job protection during leave (outside of any time you are using vacation or sick days for) and they don't have to have the job waiting on you when you want to return.
  
  Additionally, ask about compensation during leave. In the US, the most common form of compensation is short term disability insurance. You will want to investigate your coverage. At my current job, coverage began on the first day of the month after I started. But my prior job's insurance specified that coverage didn't begin until a year of employment. Also, if you have to pay the premiums for this coverage (mine has always been 100% covered by my employer, but that isn't a guarantee) it's possible that you'd be excluded based on the pregnancy qualifying as a pre-existing condition. This happened to a friend of mine, and she therefore had to take her whole maternity leave as unpaid. Also, check into how many weeks you are covered and what the pay is. For example, at my company you get 6 weeks paid for vaginal birth, but whether that is at 65% or 100% of your salary depends on your years of service to the company. I got 6 weeks at 100%, but a coworker only got 3 weeks at 100% and the other 3 at 65% because she hadn't worked there as long as i had. Make sure you can afford to take the leave you want before accepting the position.

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  KittyCat84 member

  August 2015

  delujm0 said:

  Wait until you have a written offer in hand to tell them. It sounds like they really want to hire you so hopefully they won't be put off by your pregnancy. Also, it would be illegal for them to rescind their offer simply because you are pregnant, so you'll want it in writing as proof that the offer was made. HOWEVER, and this is super important, before you accept the job you need to figure out their maternity leave rules, because if they're not in your favor you could potentially negotiate it into your offer. If the company simply operates under FMLA, you will not be covered, because you must be employed for a year prior to the birth to qualify. That means that you will have zero job protection during leave (outside of any time you are using vacation or sick days for) and they don't have to have the job waiting on you when you want to return. Additionally, ask about compensation during leave. In the US, the most common form of compensation is short term disability insurance. You will want to investigate your coverage. At my current job, coverage began on the first day of the month after I started. But my prior job's insurance specified that coverage didn't begin until a year of employment. Also, if you have to pay the premiums for this coverage (mine has always been 100% covered by my employer, but that isn't a guarantee) it's possible that you'd be excluded based on the pregnancy qualifying as a pre-existing condition. This happened to a friend of mine, and she therefore had to take her whole maternity leave as unpaid. Also, check into how many weeks you are covered and what the pay is. For example, at my company you get 6 weeks paid for vaginal birth, but whether that is at 65% or 100% of your salary depends on your years of service to the company. I got 6 weeks at 100%, but a coworker only got 3 weeks at 100% and the other 3 at 65% because she hadn't worked there as long as i had. Make sure you can afford to take the leave you want before accepting the position.

  
  

  Amen. Not until you have the offer are you obligated, nor should you reveal it. PP gave great advice in this thread. 

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