If any of you out there have experience with this, I would love to hear about it...
When I applied for the job I was 2 months pregnant... I am finally starting the job but now I am 4 months pregnant. I haven't told them for fear that they wouldn't hire me. When I do tell them... Could they fire me for being pregnant before I got hired? Will I be able to take a leave? How soon should I tell them?
They can not discriminate against you. They can't not even NOT hire you because you are pregnant, its discrimination. And you are still entitled to maturnity leave. It may not be paid, but by law they have to hold your job for you. (You can get disability payments at this time)
This is not entirely correct. Your employer will have no obligation to hold your position for you since you will not have been there for one year as others have mentioned.
That being said, see if your employer offers short term disability. You could also take a modified leave, sporadically using whatever vacation time you have earned. Your pregnancy should not affect your health insurance. Pregnancy is not considered a pre-exisiting condition and will be covered as soon as your insurance goes into effect.
Good luck with everything. I too am pregnant and starting a new job soon. They hired me at 7 months and I will be starting with less than 4 weeks till my due date. Not exactly good timing, but if I had waited for good timing I wouldn't have gotten this job!
I think that must depend on the insurance - I've known several people (RN's & other professions, too) who were told that pregnancy was a pre-existing condition. If they cover you, they usually want to see proof that you were already getting prenatal care - since we all know that risks increase with lack of prenatal care, and health risks = increased spending by insurance companies (c-sections, preemie's needing help, etc) Just check out your state & the specific insurance policy for your employer.
Also, I think you asked about when you'd be eligible for short-term disability. This also differs among employers. I have two pregnant RN friends who work at the same hospital, started working at the same time, and are due at the same time (they've only been working 5 months and are due in January). One friend is going to get short-term disability, the other is not - but only because she didn't file the papers soon enough. They had to file the papers within 30 days of employment. Years ago, I had short-term disability with my emergency c-section delivery, but didn't file until 30 days before I thought I'd deliver. It all depends on the company. Research it quickly just to be safe. I'd read what I could, and ask around to see what others have done. You might also consider calling the same helpful HR person that told you not to mention the baby!
Specializes in home health, peds, case management.
i guess it might be a state of fl rule then. all the major insurers around here, avmed, united, bcbs, etc, do not consider it to be pre-existing.
not quite true.....its federal law:
"(3) exclusion not applicable to pregnancy. a group health plan, and health insurance issuer offering group health insurance coverage, may not impose any pre-existing condition exclusion relating to pregnancy as a pre-existing condition."
— the health insurance portability and accountability act
Specializes in Med-Surg, Tele, Vascular, Plastics.
This is not entirely correct. Your employer will have no obligation to hold your position for you since you will not have been there for one year as others have mentioned.
That being said, see if your employer offers short term disability. You could also take a modified leave, sporadically using whatever vacation time you have earned. Your pregnancy should not affect your health insurance. Pregnancy is not considered a pre-exisiting condition and will be covered as soon as your insurance goes into effect.
Good luck with everything. I too am pregnant and starting a new job soon. They hired me at 7 months and I will be starting with less than 4 weeks till my due date. Not exactly good timing, but if I had waited for good timing I wouldn't have gotten this job!
Its very good to hear that pregnancy is not considered a pre-exisisting condition... thats great news infact because some other people have told me that it is and I would not be covered by insurance.
Specializes in Med-Surg, Tele, Vascular, Plastics.
not quite true.....its federal law:
"(3) exclusion not applicable to pregnancy. a group health plan, and health insurance issuer offering group health insurance coverage, may not impose any pre-existing condition exclusion relating to pregnancy as a pre-existing condition."
-- the health insurance portability and accountability act
congrats on the baby!!!
yahoooooooooooooo!!!!
wonderful! thanks! :balloons:
my pregnancy will be covered! yay! as long as i still have a job...
lol
everyone that posted has been great and helpful! thank you.
You'll still have a job. THey can't fire you. They can however...make it difficult to come back.
Find out about your short term disability. I was told that pregnancy is "self inflicted" therefore an exclusion. BUT- when I was pulled from work at 26 weeks due to preterm labor with twins...then kept out an additional 12 weeks after a cessarean, they covered everything but the normal 6 weeks maternity leave.
if any of you out there have experience with this, i would love to hear about it...
when i applied for the job i was 2 months pregnant... i am finally starting the job but now i am 4 months pregnant. i haven't told them for fear that they wouldn't hire me. when i do tell them... could they fire me for being pregnant before i got hired? will i be able to take a leave? how soon should i tell them?
so confused and scared... i really need this job!
hi i know this post is pretty old! however i am in the same exact situation. i just graduated, got the position of my dreams but is not due to start til august! i am 5 months pregnant and by the time aug reach i will be 7. i don't know if i should tell them now or wait til when i actually start. i really like the hospital, the unit and the staff which is not easy to find considering i have been a tech in various hospitals and units! i wanted to know what did you end up doing, how did it turn out, and were you fired??? thank you for all your help!
You need a lawyer so you can learn all of your rights.....GET THE FACTS from 2 or 3 attorneys and from your HR Manual and keep your mouth shut and good luck.
Why on earth would she need a lawyer? I'm sure she's intelligent enough to contact HR and read her employee manual to learn her facility's policies.
I just wanted to post on here to see how everyone else faired when they started to work as a new RN but they were pregnant. I am a new grad (grad. last may 2009) been looking for a job ever since. I got pregnant (sooooo unexpectedly.....had trouble ever getting pregnant with my first 2 and surprise! 2 months after graduating and looking forward to a "break", I got pregnant!! it was such a shock) I applied to nursing homes since they are the only ones hiring...one called me back and offered me two positions: part time permanat day position or a pool position. I decided to be "honest" and tell them I was pregnant (didn't know when I applied, found out two days later). They said they could offer me the pool but NOT the permanant day position. I thought that was kinda weird but didn't say anything. I was put on bedrest for the summer (very minor bleeding,it's all cleared up now but I AM NOT HIGH RISK pregnancy, totally healthy I actually feel great) and they said it was FINE, just call whne I was cleared to work and not worry about a drs note. So, of course when I called back to say I was cleared, they said they couldn't hire me because I signed paperwork in July and now it's September. They had "no documentation" of my bedrest so couldn't tell management why the paperwork has different dates and couldn't hire me(it was the STRANGEST conversation I ever had) I knew it was because I was pregnant, but I was still in shock they would be so blatent and so RUDE on the phone! I was actually releieved after the shock wore off because I actually had a horrible feeling about working there. (too long to list the reasons)
Then suddenly, I got a call from an AWESOME place, better location, better working conditions,better pay...etc. I was thru the roof with exceitment. I applied to their company BEFORE I found out I was pregnant and they said they had my resume for awhile but there was nothing open until now. I interviewed with two people and decieded not to talk about my private life AT ALL. I usually talk about husband, children, where I live. etc. I kept it short and sweet and only worked off my resume. I am so gunshy about telling an employer I am pregnant and I have no legal reason to do so,so I didn't tell them.
I seem to have gotten the job and I am soooo psyched. I am now 20 weeks pregnant and not showing. I took a drug test and waiting for a call from their HR dept to set up orientation. I wont feel right about the job until have an official offer letter and I actually sign paperwork. I am TERRIFIED to tell anyone I am pregnant because of the horror stories I've heard and what happened before. My feeling is: if I am "honest" again and lose the job, and wait until I give birth, which is in March, I will now not only be competing with 2009 graduated like I have been (WE ALL KNOW HOW BAD THE JOBMARKET IS FOR NEW NURSES!) I will be then competing with all the 2010 graduates. I live in the Philly area and the job market is FLOODED with new nurses. It's really a miracle that this place called me to work with no experience (I am even thinking she may not have looked at my resume just the hours I was available to work!! Im not kidding!) So I am doing everything I can to show them I am eager to work and ready to give it my all.
Ive gotten advice to not tell them until 2 months before I give birth, which would be sometime late January. That gives them 2 months notice to fill my hours. It's NOT a full time position, it's 3 days a week, 8 hour shifts. So I would NOT need much maternity leave (maybe 4-6 weeks at the most) AND I am not asking for any health benefits, either. I just hope they will keep my position (you don't qualify for FMLA unless you work there for at least a year) so there is still a risk they can fire me on some other lame reason, but I will have to take that chance.
SO, after hearing this, HOw did everyone else fair at their job after they were hired pregnant?
How did you tell your boss?
Any advice to give me?
ANYTHING is appreciated!! I am not going to feel confident that i have a job until i have a stethescope around my neck and i am getting paid to be there!!
Thanks to everyone who reads this and to anyone who has advice or past experiences!!
Please check with Human Resources about FMLA. You will not qualify until you have worked for your employer for 1 year AND 1250 hours WORKED during that year. Also, the time off is on a rolling calendar year. I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the same time my husband was diagnosed with ALS. I took FMLA for my treatments. My FMLA ended on the last day of radiation therapy. About 6 months later, I reapplied due to my husband's health care needs. I was approved for 12 weeks MINUS the time I had taken for my own care in the last 365 days.
.thumb.gif.11fa0ddb3aacfb1b3953bc671abcfb7e.gif){kind=avatar}
anc33
327 Posts
This is not entirely correct. Your employer will have no obligation to hold your position for you since you will not have been there for one year as others have mentioned.
That being said, see if your employer offers short term disability. You could also take a modified leave, sporadically using whatever vacation time you have earned. Your pregnancy should not affect your health insurance. Pregnancy is not considered a pre-exisiting condition and will be covered as soon as your insurance goes into effect.
Good luck with everything. I too am pregnant and starting a new job soon. They hired me at 7 months and I will be starting with less than 4 weeks till my due date. Not exactly good timing, but if I had waited for good timing I wouldn't have gotten this job!