new job as a new nurse and I am 11 weeks pregnant, Tell them now or wait?

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I recently started a new job in a LTC facility as a new graduate and I am currently 11 weeks pregnant. Im not sure if I should tell them now or wait until I start to show? I am not a tiny girl so I could probably get away with it until at least after my probationary period (90 days) but by then I will be almost 6 months. I really need this job and I dont want them to "find a reason to fire me" right after I tell them about the pregnancy. Any advice or similar situation and outcomes?

Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
Telling them now also gives them a chance to prepare for the absence.

There are also considerations they need to make as well. For instance, they may factor in the time, effort, and resources it takes to hire someone new and train them.

She has a right to keep this particular medical condition from her employer. Telling them right now doesn't serve her, but it certainly does give them the chance to fire her during the probationary period for no good reason at all.

If she was a longer-term employee who was eligible for FMLA, they would probably hire agency/PRN nurses to fill her spot until she comes back. They can do the same with a shorter-term employee like the OP. I don't know any employer who would officially hire a new employee to take the place of someone on temporary leave, especially a leave that is going to be about 6 weeks long--it costs too much.

They might also have to pay out for unemployment if they chose to let you go.

That's illegal. She's not "hiding" anything she doesn't have a right to privacy for; but if they fire her, they would certainly be "hiding" an illegal act.

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Specializes in ER/ICU/STICU.

"She has a right to keep this particular medical condition from her employer. Telling them right now doesn't serve her, but it certainly does give them the chance to fire her during the probationary period for no good reason at all. "

This is true, however you can be fired for whatever reason. When you are at will employee you can be fired for ALMOST any reason. I don't think you realize the difficulty in trying to bring a discrimination suit against an employer. Now if this particular facility has a union it would be more difficult for the employer. If an employer wants to get rid of you they will PERIOD. You should look up the laws and definitions of what constitutes discrimination. And your naive to think this employer would fire her for her pregnancy and actually admit that is the reason why.

"If she was a longer-term employee who was eligible for FMLA, they would probably hire agency/PRN nurses to fill her spot until she comes back. They can do the same with a shorter-term employee like the OP. I don't know any employer who would officially hire a new employee to take the place of someone on temporary leave, especially a leave that is going to be about 6 weeks long--it costs too much."

That is a poor argument. You have no way to predict what kind of pregnancy this will be, if there are going to be complications with mom or baby. God willing it will be smooth sailing and no complications, but you can't predict the future. And yes they could hire agency, but you don't know if they will. How do you know there were not multiple applications for the job that the company and go back and try to hire. The point is there is no way to know what the company will do. They may decide to the OP go and hire someone else because it would be cheaper in the long run.

That's illegal. She's not "hiding" anything she doesn't have a right to privacy for; but if they fire her, they would certainly be "hiding" an illegal act."

Again I point you to the above post. It would be illegal IF the company actually admitted the reason for firing her was due to the pregnancy. However, in reality, they would fire her and cite some other reason. Waiting until the probationary period is over will not guarantee they won't fire the OP.

On a side note unrelated to the post, FMLA does NOT guarantee your job. What it protects is being fired while on maternity leave. A big misconception is that it protects your job no matter what. IE. if someone takes FMLA for a pregnancy and their position is eliminated because of a downsizing...then guess what? That person doesn't have a job.

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Specializes in Med/surg, rural CCU.
She has a right to keep this particular medical condition from her employer. Telling them right now doesn't serve her, but it certainly does give them the chance to fire her during the probationary period for no good reason at all.

If she was a longer-term employee who was eligible for FMLA, they would probably hire agency/PRN nurses to fill her spot until she comes back. They can do the same with a shorter-term employee like the OP. I don't know any employer who would officially hire a new employee to take the place of someone on temporary leave, especially a leave that is going to be about 6 weeks long--it costs too much.

That's illegal. She's not "hiding" anything she doesn't have a right to privacy for; but if they fire her, they would certainly be "hiding" an illegal act.

No, they cannot fire her for being pregnant....but if they are irritated that she did not give them adequate time to prepare for her absense...they may not give her a job when she returns. They do not have to approve of a maternity leave without FMLA..therefore she'd be without a job when she returns if she does not stay in their good graces.

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

I believe in being honest, but don't screw yourself. ;) I would wait until after the probabionary period if possible. I wouldn't wait much longer than that, though. Here in PA, you need to be employed for one year to get FMLA leave. Then you are allowed 90 unpaid days off.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
No, they cannot fire her for being pregnant....but if they are irritated that she did not give them adequate time to prepare for her absense...they may not give her a job when she returns. They do not have to approve of a maternity leave without FMLA..therefore she'd be without a job when she returns if she does not stay in their good graces.

While FMLA does not apply if she's been there less than a year, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (amended) does.

http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/pregnancy.cfm

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Thanks everyone for the advice, I think I will wait until after my probationary period ends and then tell them in hopes that I dont look dishonest. I really like this job a lot and I hope it all works out! Thanks again!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
You should look up the laws and definitions of what constitutes discrimination. And your naive to think this employer would fire her for her pregnancy and actually admit that is the reason why.

Again I point you to the above post. It would be illegal IF the company actually admitted the reason for firing her was due to the pregnancy. However, in reality, they would fire her and cite some other reason. Waiting until the probationary period is over will not guarantee they won't fire the OP.

First, I know that they wouldn't admit it, but it's illegal whether they admit it or not. Getting caught is what they want to avoid.

Here's an interesting blog post from a labor lawyer in Philadelphia.

http://www.litigationandtrial.com/2008/11/articles/trial/news-1/jury-awards-18-million-to-bethel-park-woman-fired-while-on-maternity-leave/

"I know times are tough, and it's tempting to start the downsizing first with the woman you just know is going to use up tons of maternity leave and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) time.

Don't. A million times --or rather, one million, eight hundred thousand times-- don't."

It's pretty telling that a labor lawyer is practically begging employers to not fire women on maternity leave.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

Man, I'm almost afraid to post here anymore. Everybody is getting pregnant!

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Specializes in ER/ICU/STICU.

Yes that was an interesting article. I don't think it applies to the OP. There is no way to know the circumstances around that case, other than it sounds like the company fired this lady because she was on leave. Which I agree is against to law. What I was saying is for example:Lets say a person works on a line in a factory that requires 3 people to run. One worker goes out on maternity leave. 4 Weeks into that leave the company replaces the workers with an automated machine and all those positions are no longer needed, then the person on leave is out of a job. There is a difference between that and discriminating against someone who is pregnant.

Also you don't know if it will be appealed and overturned or upheld. If you look at some of the other articles posted, you will see one where an appealete court overturned a $19 million dollar birth injury award.

An employer cannot fire the OP for being pregnant, but they can fire her in spite of it.

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