Pregnancy Discrimination - Interview

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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.

All true. Although not all pregnancy can be planned for eg you've had trouble starting a family, but then after a few years suddenly found yourself pregnant... it takes priority. You must never expect others to move heaven and earth for your situation. Pregnancy is an elective condition - you are expected to be an adult about your life choices and plan accordingly. Nursing is a very stressful job, not to mention physically exhausting for the best of us. Once you have graduated from school, you certainly know what's what. You also understand the job market is competitive.

I've always known that you don't want to interview pregnant - this even for all the years since I graduated with my first degree. Who wants to have filled a position just to have to fill it again?

Common sense people.

It is a female dominated field and everyone has to look at both sides of this dilemma.

Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.

Some interesting articles...

Pregnancy discrimination lawsuits on the rise:

Workplace pregnancy discrimination cases on the rise - The Washington Post

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

And juries haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate employers, overall. I've seen some of the most obnoxious jury verdicts in my state for even tenuous discrimination cases (of all kinds: racial, age, gender, etc.)

Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.
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.

Silly me, I expect corporations to follow the law or suffer the consequences. What do you think float pools and PRN are for? What do you think agencies have been making hella $$$ off of for years?

I'd expect your small facility to grow a brain and come up with a solution, or risk losing more %% of its workforce due to complaints of understaffing.

What do people expect? Hiring a pregnant woman is crazy and bad for business...

It's not crazy; maybe somewhat impractical from an employer's perspective, but not "crazy." And it is not "bad" for business...the patient will think no less of the nurse or company. It doesn't present a "bad" image. And the impractical becomes more practical if per diem employment.

And juries haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate employers, overall. I've seen some of the most obnoxious jury verdicts in my state for even tenuous discrimination cases (of all kinds: racial, age, gender, etc.)

In some of discrimination cases, plantiffs were awarded LARGE amounts of back pay and compensation. Even companies like Verizon and Walmart have been charged(and lost). I read a case of a Walmart employee receiving around $150,000! I'm thinking that's more than Walmart hourly pay.

Specializes in LTC, med/surg, hospice.

That's unfortunate some of you work in a non supportive environment but we don't treat one another that way where I work. The moms to be get lots of help, those that are dealing with other family things have staff willing to swap schedules with them, those dealing with loss...we always keep those things in mind when making assignments.

I recall a coworker that lost two family members back to back...one elderly and one unexpectedly and we were all sensitive to that and filled in as needed without hesitation. When she returned, she didn't get any of our end of life people for a few weeks. She didn't even have to ask.

I wasn't a lazy pregnant nurse and didn't ask or expect any accommodation but co workers just did certain things for me. Even patients and family members were accommodating. Believe it or not other people are indeed sometimes joyous about other women's pregnancies whether they have children or not.

As to disclosing the pregnancy...I did not but I was a rehire and they would have taken me regardless.

Specializes in Women's Surgical Oncology, MIU,MBU.

If you weren't showing I would go for it...but since you are...you probably know they won't say anything they probably would just guess and not call back. I remember that I received an email stating that they saw my application online and were informing me about an open house...If I wasn't already 6 months and starting to show at that point...I would have went and met some NM...

Specializes in Women's Surgical Oncology, MIU,MBU.

Wow what state are you in...you are very fortunate to work with what seems to be a great group of people...

BlueDevil,DNP: I'm surprised you admitted such a detailed hiring experience that you state was so recent. You may want to reconsider what you post on a public forum. Such detail of something so illegal, whether you are in an at-will state or not, could lead you to legal problems down the road. Despite probationary periods, the employee's nondisclosure of a pregnancy, or at-will status, you would probably be surprised to know that employees have been known to seek compensation for wrongful termination and that they usually do get something when pursuing the right avenues. Also, attorney's, as well as prospective employers, do search for posts to blogs, social media sites, and forums like this.

I am in this situation right now. I am currently working full time nights on a med surg floor and newly pregnant. Now, I tried for years to have children prior to my nursing career and spent a fortune on infertility treatments. So for me, it is a miracle. Full time nights is a daycare nightmare for me since our families are all abut a 6 hour flight from here and we both work full time. A position has opened up on a detox unit that offers 8 hour day shifts, and there is no lifting. I loved my clinical rotation on this type of unit and I really want this position, but I am not sure what to do about seeking a transfer while pregnant. Ultimately I think I have decided to go interview, and if offered the job I will tell them before accepting to see if they want to wait until after the baby comes to train or hire me. It my husband wants me to keep it to myself as long as possible. I think working on this type of floor will ultimately be a much better long term fit for me.

To compound matters, I am a new grad in California been looking for that first job for a year now. I had 3 fantastic interviews in 3 different states. 2 were phone interviews and they couldn't wait to get me out to their state to show me around. I disclosed that I was pregnant and not looking to take more than 2-3 weeks off to recover. I had day care covered so they wouldn't have to worry about me calling out frequently. Once I disclosed this information over the phone, excuses were found to not hire me. So for the 3rd interview I did not disclose my pregnancy and flew out to N. Carolina to interview. It was one of the best interviews I had done; I felt I was a perfect fit and exactly what they were looking for. The nurses on the floor loved me and the manager seemed to really be interested in me. I was rejected a few weeks later.

I work as a Nurse Assistant for now and spoke with my manger about my experience and she gave me her honest opinion. She would not hire me either if I had applied to a new grad position, and this is after working for her for 5 years now. Her reason was, that even though I say I won't take a lot of time off and that day care is covered it is hard to predict the future. What if, god forbid, something were to happen to me or the baby during delivery and I had to take more time off then expected. She wouldn't want to be left with no nurse and a position empty. She said, frankly, I was too much of a liability.

Now that I am 9 months pregnant and sturggling to keep up with my Nursing Assistant position I am greatful that I don't have the stress of trying to impress anyone during a New Grad program. My co-workers are great and understanding. They stopped asking me to do the heavy lifting months ago and encourage me to sit as much as possible. I am an "older mom" (36 years old) and have been feeling the pregnancy now that I'm getting closer to the end. In a new position I wouldn't expect such treatment and would be pushing myself to prove myself in order to make sure the NM didn't regreat hiring me.

Yes my skills are now rusty and I have been out of school for over a year, but as I read these threads I see I'm not the only one struggling to find a job, pregnant or not.

It is sad that no matter what there is still this discrimination against pregnant women trying to get a nursing position, but at the same time I can understand the NM position. If only I could find a per diem position I think that would be a really good fit.

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