When to tell potential employer about pregnancy?

[MickeySP]

I was wondering how long this "This is my last post" was going to last!



That's so great that you have everything lined up so well. Like many others, I remember your many posts that spoke of moving back - glad you choose to do it! Good luck.

Yeah you know what after the last few days I would hire the pregnant women. Why because at least she is honest if she tells me. Maybe the other person is hiding a worse secret - who knows!?!?!?!

As far as done life gives you perspective every once in awhile. When you have to actually deal in real life last posts take on a whole new meaning.

 

[sasywtch]

We had a receptionist not tell she was pregnant while interviewing, wore baggy pants/jacket. Her belly continued to grow, she denied to coworkers (managers/supervisors did not ask, just the common coworker). Finally she told the managers when she needed to be off. All of this was perfectly legal however, it did not sit well with the coworkers who felt their new coworker was untruthful, not a team player and they had to help with the slack of her being gone. None of it was illegal but not being truthful with coworkers can make for a lousy work environment. Coworkers would have been happy to help with the slack as they normally have with others but when a coworker isn't upfront, it does harbor ill feelings.

 

[SirDuff]

As far as done life gives you perspective every once in awhile. When you have to actually deal in real life last posts take on a whole new meaning.

Then why stomp your feet like a toddler and keep saying "I'm done"? If you know that "real life" will mean that you aren't really done, why keep saying you are?

 

[ilovefh]

Just wanted to give a quick update. The interview went well. I told them I was pregnant and they said they are long range thinkers so they're okay with it. I have the job if I want it! Thanks for all the advice!

 

[Pamlur]

I am so happy for you! Your thread sent me waaay back in time. I had a toddler and was looking for work; one company asked me if I planned to have more children, and I truthfully told them yes. My employment agent yelled at me for telling the truth; apparently that cost me the job. As it turned out that husband and I divorced, so I didn't have my second child for a few years. Oh well. I'm glad they can't ask that anymore.

 

[mom2rtk]

Congrats OP! I'm so glad you can start the job (if that's what you choose) with no worries.

 

[porschegrl]

I'm not the person you asked, but I am a hiring manager. I do not want to be told at the interview. I do not want there to be any opportunity for someone to come back and say that I did not choose them because they were pregnant and frankly, I don't want that to be part of my determining factor. Yes, covering for maternity leaves is difficult, but I don't want to pass over someone I would have otherwise chosen because of that.

Agree. Despite popular belief, I don't think it's actually illegal to ask someone about pregnancy (or other protected status) at the interview. It's illegal to base hiring decisions on it, which is why prudent interviewers don't ask (and don't even want the interviewee to disclose it unprompted).

OP, I'm glad your interview went well! And it just goes to show that there's no one "right" way to deal with this kind of situation.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

Agree. Despite popular belief, I don't think it's actually illegal to ask someone about pregnancy (or other protected status) at the interview. It's illegal to base hiring decisions on it, which is why prudent interviewers don't ask (and don't even want the interviewee to disclose it unprompted).

OP, I'm glad your interview went well! And it just goes to show that there's no one "right" way to deal with this kind of situation.

It is. You cannot ask a lot of personal information and pregnancy, children etc fall under some of the things you cannot ask when interviewing/hiring somebody.

 

[porschegrl]

It is. You cannot ask a lot of personal information and pregnancy, children etc fall under some of the things you cannot ask when interviewing/hiring somebody.

I work in HR and I've read up on the law (which, admittedly, may vary from state to state). It's a somewhat pedantic distinction, but it is a distinction nonetheless. It's not illegal to ask, but nobody asks (and rightly so) because of the legal difficulty (if not impossibility) of proving the information did not factor into the hiring decision.