applying for new grad job and preg.....

[HappyNurse2005, RN]

LOL, this is not me, of course, since i've been a nurse for a year and a half, but i have a friend in an interesting situation

She's graduating her RN program in May, and is due with baby #2 in late July.

Had an interview for her dream position (ED) the other day and was offered the position, to start after graduation in May.

She did not tell them she is pregnant (only 11 weeks now/will be 30 weeks when she graduates), which now presents the question of when to say something.

The nurse manager is also pregnant, and will be out on maternity leave when my friend starts the job, so waiting until she starts might not be a good idea b/c then she'd be telling the interim manager which would seem wrong for some reason, and then when she leaves on her maternity leave, the regular manager wouldn't be back yet.

her orientation will be 12 weeks so she'll still be on orientation when she goes on her maternity leave, which she plans on being out for less than 6 weeks (FMLA qualification is not an issue, she's been a CNA with the same hospital corporation for nearly a year)

I suggested she first find out from human resources if the job offer is binding or rescindable, and if its binding and cannot be rescinded by the manager (unless, of course, she gets fired from the company for some other reason, which wont happen), then she needs to call the manager and tell her now.

if it is one of those rescindable until you start the job offers, that's a little trickier. of course, they can't take back the offer b/c she is pregnant, but you know they can take it back and claim its for other reasons.

she also can't afford to wait until baby is born and then 6 weeks old to start work.

so, what would you do in the situation/has it happened to you/another nurse you work with?

i had my baby shortly before graduating, and got lucky that my start date at the job was when the baby was 7 weeks old, so it worked out great.

thanks !

[ICRN2008, BSN, RN]

Well, she'll have to disclose her pregnancy to the employee health nurse when she goes in for her pre-employment physical/screening. In my area, you are not officially offered the job until you pass the physicial and drug screen.

However, it is against the law to refuse to hire someone because she is pregnant. Some employers have found a way around this by saying that they changed their mind about hiring a woman because of some other bogus reason. I would tread carefully...

I would hate for your friend to make a good-faith effort to keep her new manager informed, only to lose out on the job. Consulting an attorney that specializes in labor law might not be a bad idea. Better now than later IMO.

I used to be very trusting of employers, but now I am not so naive. I know that they will look out for their own interests and their employees (or prospective employees) are secondary.

I wish her luck in her new job.