Finding A Job Whilst Pregnant

[bednobs]

My sister in law has been a full time mum since her baby was born 2 years ago. She decided to start looking for a job, but has found out she is pregnant. She has some interviews lined up. Is she obliged to tell potential employers she is pregnant? If so when, at interview or when/if they offer her the job?

[fiction-factory]

She's not obliged to. If she were to tell them I think there's a good chance she would find she wouldn't be appointed. But some might argue that when the employer does find out the employer may not be too pleased and the relationship may not be as good as she would like

[bednobs]

thanks ff, i'll let her know

[snags]

Some info here:

https://worksmart.org.uk/work-rights/family-friendly-work/maternity-leave/if-i-go-job-interview-do-i-have-tell-them-im

[bednobs]

thanks snags

[Baldric]

https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question1594616.html

[Deskdiary]

Legally no, morally without question yes.

The first paragraph from the link snags posted states "No, you don't have to tell them anything. The fact that you are pregnant should not have any bearing on whether you are the right person for the job" to the question of telling a prospective employer about a pregnancy.

I entirely disagree with the second part - if an employer is interviewing for a position then it is clearly a position the employer wants to fill, and therefore being pregnant absolutely does have a bearing on whether a person is the right person for the job. If the person goes on Mat leave for a year a few months after joining, then the employer has a position where the employee employed for the position is not in a position to do their job.

May not be such an issue for a large company, but what about small companies?

[bednobs]

thanks for all your input - i will pass it on to her. i think partly the problem for her is that she is only very early on in the pregnancy - perhaps it won't continue anyway and then she wont have needed to tell any potential employers

[diddlydo]

She is under no obligation whatsoever to tell a prospective employer about her pregnancy.

[anthro-nerd]

My sister is in this position too, only 5 weeks gone and has a job lined up for Sept. If all goes well she'd be on maternity leave in November. She's going to wait til she's at 12 weeks, and then have a meeting to discuss it with her managers. (The job is an in house promotion). It's a bit of a moral dilemma, I'm not sure what the right or wrong answer is.

[Deskdiary]

"She is under no obligation whatsoever to tell a prospective employer about her pregnancy."

Absolutely correct.

But if I interviewed somebody and they accepted a position and then I found out they were pregnant at the time of the interview, I would never trust that person again.

I feel the law is wrong.

[diddlydo]

Deskdiary - are you a man by any chance?

[naomi24]

Deskdiary, I agree and I'd find a reason to get rid of her as soon as possible – and diddlydo , I’m not a man.

[ummmm]

I wouldn't employ a pregnant woman either.

[bednobs]

i can see both sides. She really wants to work, and doesnt want to be on benefits, but you are right, it is hard to trust someone who you feel has hidden stuff from you

[diddlydo]

Gee.....what hope is there for equality when even women state that they wouldn't employ a pregnant woman? Frankly I despair.

[ummmm]

Why? Why would any company train up a woman who will take a year off?

[Baldric]

Employers are not a Charity

[ummmm]

And I would support any women who got pregnant after she had worked for us. I just wouldn't employ someone who was already pregnant.

[diddlydo]

You can't assume that she will take a year off as Mat Leave. Some women I know have taken a mere six weeks.

[Islay]

Thank goodness the law is on the side of pregnant women.