Pregnancy Discrimination - Interview

Nurses Job Hunt

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I have read more than a few threads on here and quite frankly I am a little appauled at the attitudes. No wonder women ask if they should hide the pregnancy! They're discriminated by female nursing collegues right from the start and treated as though it were 1950. "No, you should wait until after you have the baby." Well, I think most nurses on here are used to a higher standard of living than a cardboard box, and that's what happens when you can't pay bills. I have an interview scheduled soon and still waver on what to do. It is for a per diem position and it is not an oncology floor. I think honesty is best, but in this economy, just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I want to put nursing on hold for a year while my skills dwindle. It's already competitive enough! I could understand the NM being worried about staffing shortages, but I never called off a day in my previous position...why would I call in sick now(my horrible vomiting has passed.) Here's hoping I have decent luck with per diem.

I didn't post it to make friends Klone, lol. I posted it to help the OP. Nor did I "blacklist" the MA in question, the practice manager did. I don't have the authority to determine who is and is not eligible for rehire within the company statewide, lol. I do decide who works for me, and I won't work with someone who is untrustworthy. The practice manager made the administrative decision not to keep her in the company in any capacity.

She is gone, and I'll be interviewing all next week I guess. Maybe I'll hire a male this time. ;)

OP, my advice is to just tell the whole truth. Find a natural time in the interview to mention it, and if it doesn't present itself then I'd just mention it at the end of the interview. If I were interviewing you, I probably wouldn't hire you immediately, but I'd respect you for telling me and hang on to the resume for the following year. I do wish you luck with both your family and career.

So how does it feel to be responsible for someone being blacklisted from "the largest consortium of providers in the state"?

"No will touch her", effectively depriving someone of the ability to support self and family.

Even though "technically" you didn't do it, "the practice manager did".

Sounds vindictive to me.

Specializes in LTC.
So how does it feel to be responsible for someone being blacklisted from "the largest consortium of providers in the state"?

"No will touch her", effectively depriving someone of the ability to support self and family.

Even though "technically" you didn't do it, "the practice manager did".

Sounds vindictive to me.

Unless my reading skills are off, BlueDevil is, in fact, NOT the daddy. S/he is not responsible for:

A) Making the baby

B) Making the woman choose to conceal something that's quite related to their job

Unless my reading skills are off, BlueDevil is, in fact, NOT the daddy. S/he is not responsible for:

A) Making the baby

B) Making the woman choose to conceal something that's quite related to their job

Nevertheless, arguably BlueDevil's actions were vindictive. Maybe if I were in his predicament, I would have been ticked off too, but it sounded more like an inconvenience rather than an actual problem. The MAs I have seen work with ambulatory patients, not total care or isolation precaution ones. Furthermore, I stand by my statement that some pregnant women don't ask for the easy route (even though some from the previous pregnancy nurses' posts some are lucky to be in a trade off environment) and I have seen them work until they are ready to give birth. Arguably, it is still 1950s mentality to assume pregnancy equals disability. But, plenty of posters have provided numerous examples in this thread of working with pregnant women and feeling shafted so I can see the other side. But as far as the "moral" standpoint, there does not seem to be a consensus.

Granted, it probably wasn't the best choice to pursue employment now given the apparent disadvantage in unspoken hiring practices, and I probably will not pursue further after this interview until delivery just based on this disadvantage. But, then comes the next disadvantage: lack of employment for so long. :/ I can't win.

Specializes in FNP, ONP.

Well you don't have to like it or agree with me. She's gone, it's over, and other than being annoyed that I have to take additional time to interview again, I feel fine about it.

I have high standards and she didn't meet them, end of story.

It's ok with me if that makes you think less of the BlueDevil, lol.

I was, honestly, trying to help you whitey. :rolleyes:

Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.
Well you don't have to like it or agree with me. She's gone, it's over, and other than being annoyed that I have to take additional time to interview again, I feel fine about it.

I have high standards and she didn't meet them, end of story.

It's ok with me if that makes you think less of the BlueDevil, lol.

I was, honestly, trying to help you whitey. :rolleyes:

I sure hope she finds out, or even suspects it. What a stupid move by a supposedly large corporation, seriously.

Well you don't have to like it or agree with me. She's gone, it's over, and other than being annoyed that I have to take additional time to interview again, I feel fine about it.

I have high standards and she didn't meet them, end of story.

It's ok with me if that makes you think less of the BlueDevil, lol.

I was, honestly, trying to help you whitey. :rolleyes:

Well, why don't you put me at the top of that interview list, BlueDevil? I'm sure I have everything you're looking for. lol! ;)

p.s. no personal offense taken

Well you don't have to like it or agree with me. She's gone, it's over, and other than being annoyed that I have to take additional time to interview again, I feel fine about it.

I have high standards and she didn't meet them, end of story.

It's ok with me if that makes you think less of the BlueDevil, lol.

:rolleyes:

So, you say she lied; not really, it was an omission, and she was not required to disclose it.

It's not as if you had asked her (which is illegal) if she was pregnant, and she denied it.

As another poster noted, you lied about the reason for firing her.

You couldn't tell her the truth because you were firing her illegally, so YOU had to lie.

Those sure are some high standards you have.

I guess you don't have to meet them yourself.

Specializes in FNP, ONP.

I don't agree with your synopsis, and I'm very weary of this discussion. My intention was to provide an alternate point of view for the OP so as to help her make a sound choice. She has that view point and whatever will be will be. We shall have to agree to disagree and leave it at that.

Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.
I don't agree with your synopsis, and I'm very weary of this discussion. My intention was to provide an alternate point of view for the OP so as to help her make a sound choice. She has that view point and whatever will be will be. We shall have to agree to disagree and leave it at that.

I like how even you know that what you did was illegal. You're weary of it because you don't really have much of a defense for it. And you being a parent of 7 children makes it that much more disgraceful.

You've kind of changed my mind on having kids, because if I find out where you work I'm gonna get pregnant and apply for a job so they can fire me and I can make some quick cash.

Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.
Unless my reading skills are off, BlueDevil is, in fact, NOT the daddy. S/he is not responsible for:

A) Making the baby

B) Making the woman choose to conceal something that's quite related to their job

Uh, it's ILLEGAL to do what was supposedly done, it's NOT related to their job, and no one's required to tell about their pregnancy. They can be big as a beach ball and if they can do the job they still don't have to ADMIT they're pregnant until they're requesting medical leave for it, and there's STILL nothing that can legally be done about it if they meet the criteria for leave.

Seriously, are you a man? I'm childless by choice and I'm awfully jaded about baby babble and treating pregnant women with kid gloves, and I'm still quite disgusted about what was supposedly done.

I would be curious if BlueDevil were sitting in the witness stand, would s/he hold up his "high standards" and tell the truth about the reason for firing her, or lie to salvage his professional livelihood. I would venture that he would not tell the truth(as has already taken place). I find it hypocritical and ironic that he manifested a characteristic which he claimed to loath.

Some interesting articles...

Pregnancy discrimination lawsuits on the rise:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/workplace-pregnancy-discrimination-cases-on-the-rise/2012/04/06/gIQALWId4S_story.html

Another article, not specific to pregnancy but also those assuming caregiver role:

Unlawful Discrimination Based on Pregnancy and Caregiving Responsibilities Widespread Problem, Panelists Tell EEOC

What do people expect? Hiring a pregnant woman is crazy and bad for business. If you hire someone that is due in 5 months and will be out for 2 months, you have staffing issues. The is even more of a problem at a small facility. The likelyhood of that nurse calling is sick with a newborn is higher than someone without. Allowing the nurse to have time to pump, etc....

We just had 2 people out in my small ICU. THey both took 3 months off with all of their EIB (and one was a male nurse). With 6 fulltime spots per shift, we lost 17% of our staff for 25% of the year.

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