Pregnant And Applying For Jobs

[phleb]

My friend has been made redundant and is pregnant. She is only 15 weeks and is applying for another job. She is worried that she will not be considered for the posts she has applied for due to pregnancy. Does she have to tell them? You can't tell shes pregnant. What are the rules around this? thanks

[Prudie]

Did her previous company know she was pregnant or did it happen after she left? I didn't think you could make pregnant women redundant.
I think the rules are it shouldn't make any difference when applying, whether that works in practise is another matter.

[Sqad]

No idea......but i just bet that any rules and regulations will be in favour of the gravid female. Great stat for the employers having a new pregnant employee needing maternity leave.

[phleb]

No they didn't know. She only found out herself after she left. She is mortified and needs a job if she is going to be a single parent. She is in her 40's and wants this baby. Its her first.

[phleb]

She said she won't expect maternity pay as her redundancy money will cover the time she takes off. I told her not to tell the new people about being pregnant, she said it would play on her conscience :(

[woofgang]

If she is looking for a job to return to after the baby is born then its not a good start to suppress the truth.

[phleb]

No she wants to start immediately. Doesn't want to touch anymore of her redundancy pay because she wants to be comfortable financially when takes time off with new baby.

[rsvp]

From a personal point of view I would feel the same as your friend - uncomfortable about not mentioning it knowing I'm going to asking for maternity leave in six months time -

[Sammy48]

Could she not do temping

[phleb]

We haven't thought of temping, sounds like an option. thanks

[Sammy48]

Office temping pays good money.

[Peter Pedant]

// As the "new" employer I would feel I had been conned if I wasn't told and you would be out of job (one way or the other) pretty quick.//

divebee may be a paid member of UKIP but he wouldnt get by as an employer. The circumstance she describes is "protected" and dismissal under these circs would be automatically unfair.

things is - are you allowed to discriminate if the employee walks in and says she is pregnant ? - ( you cant refuse to employ someone one the grounds they MAY become pregnant and you arent allowed to ask questions like - are you think of having a baby ? during the interview )

I think her best course of action is a citizens advice bureau - this is the sort of thing they specialise in

[Peter Pedant]

oh, it is all here - and kinda near to what I said it would be

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/your-rights/employment/applying-job/your-rights-if-you-are-pregnant-or-maternity-leave

[ummmm]

I wouldn't employ her and they can dismiss within a year (I think) without giving a reason.

[Peter Pedant]

automatically unfair dismissals which this would be do not have a lead-in period

[fiction-factory]

>I wouldn't employ her and they can dismiss within a year (I think) without giving a reason.

They can dismiss for almost any reason- but the exceptions include race, sex/pregnancy and trade union membership. Of course they may find some other reason

[ummmm]

Exactly. You'd use a different reason.

Who would want to employ someone to do a job just to have to employ someone else to cover it.

Completely different from a long term employee going on maternity leave.

[meglet]

Your friend could claim maternity allowance (same as maternity pay but for when the mum-to-be isn't working) from the government from 26 weeks. This might cushion her a bit if she can't find a suitable job (or has no luck in getting one if she is getting a bump).

https://www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/eligibility

[Mosaic]

She could also look at contract-based work that may even be something she can do at home. Data-entry, or something similar?
Looking at this situation from the other side, I think she may become much more tired than she anticipates, and being her first baby at that age she must prioritise her own and her baby's health above any feelings about career progress.

[meglet]

Hear hear Mosaic. I'm currently pregnant at 41 and it's hard work. Luckily I'm working from home with a very understanding boss or I would not be coping at all.