New Job and Pregnant

[mindlor]

Let me preface this by saying that I am a guy.

I have seen many threads on here where people ask..."I know I am pregnant, should I disclose this to a new employer prior to being hired."

The answer is always, no way, there is nothing they can do. It is illegal for them do discriminate.

And it is, you are absolutely correct.

However I feel it is certainly not the moral thing to do and bordering on being fraudulent.

Employers spend a lot of money orienting and precepting new employees. If I were in HR and someone pulled a fast one like this on me, my hands would be tied certainly, but I would never forget it and it would surely matter on down the road.

The potential not knowng they are pregnant is a whole different thing altogether.

I know this may be controversial but I am curious as to what the female perspective is.

[kristou]

I understand where you are coming from; however, when it comes down to it, it's the woman that has to choose whether or not she wants to. I think that it is important to put yourself not only in the HR's shoes, but also into the woman's shoes. I read something where a woman stated that she just found out she's 12 weeks pregnant and she had been looking for a job for 10 months now. Should she tell them? I wouldn't if it were me. What about the people who start a job only to leave right after their orientation.

[mindlor]

No doubt it is the woman's choice. If she can sleep at night, thats all that matters. I certainly understand that everyone has different core values and ethics.....

[cb_rn]

If you are planning on returning to work after your 6 weeks, what's the problem? I don't know why she wouldn't be able to sleep at night. People get pregnant, have babies, do their maternity leave, and go back to work all the time. Its true that staff sometimes has to cover for 6 weeks while mom is at home with the baby but that's true whether you've been at a job 5 weeks or 5 years. Frankly being hired earlier in the pregnancy gives administration more time to find people willing to do overtime. I was one of seven pregnant nurses on my last job, all due in the same 5 week stretch. And yes, the unit survived. The bottom line is that I'm sure some women have been shady with getting hired while pregnant just to get benefits or whatever without intending to return after the birth but that's a small group of women doing a bad thing, just like someone only working through orientation, abusing short term disability, or any number of other dirty tricks you could pull. Doesn't mean everyone the starts a job pregnant or has to leave at the end of orientation for a good reason, or hurts themselves while they are still new is bad or intentionally set out with that in mind.

[fungez]

Unfortunately pregnancy discrimination exists. I get tired of hearing negative remarks about working short staffed because so and so's on maternity leave. If you're hiring a good employee, six weeks leave is not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things. It's a biological fact that only women can have babies. If a woman of child bearing age is being hired, it's a safe bet to assume that someday she's might get pregnant.

And if more fathers would step up and take time off to care for their sick children, then the mothers wouldn't have to call in so much.

[mindlor]

You are spot on.

However, the point of my OP refers to whether or not women who are already pregnant should or should not disclose this fact to a potential employer......

Lets reel this back on topic por favor :)

[fungez]

Why is it relevant? Should a individual who knows he's going to need knee surgery in the near future disclose that?

[CNL2B]

You know what, this makes me really, really freaking mad.

I was one of those pregnant women starting a new job 5 years ago. I didn't have a choice. My husband left me when I was 8 weeks pregnant with my first child, and I moved back to my home city (we had been living in another state) for family support and to have the baby there. I didn't "need" the insurance -- I was on COBRA and my estranged husband was covering half of it -- but I did need the income as an unexpected soon-to-be single mom. I started a staff RN job when I was 6 and 1/2 months pregnant. The pregnancy wasn't discussed when I interviewed (that I recall - at about 5 months along), but I was obviously showing and I didn't hide it.

I did get some flack about it initially. I was very disappointed that the CHIEF NURSE OF THE SERVICE LINE made a comment something like, "Oh, so we are going to get you off of orientation, and then you are going to go out on leave, huh?" She was technically my boss at the time, as the manager that hired me had left for another position in the facility. I ALMOST reported her for discrimination/harassment, but I didn't, seeing that I was her subordinate and I didn't want to make too many waves, being brand new. So much for supporting your employees.

I am proud to say that I got through that extremely difficult period in my life, returned to my job after a 6 week leave, and worked full time night shift with the support of my family. I am still in that job, 5 years later, another marriage and maternity leave later after baby #2, now completing an MSN on company reimbursement and hoping to move up in the organization. If you are trying to say that I didn't add value to the organization because I went out on leave (twice) to have some babies, after 5 years loyalty and furthering my education, then, I am mostly dumbfounded and speechless. Shame on you for making such a sweeping generalization on all these women.

I think that is a complete crock that you think this type of behavior is fraudulent. I was out for 6 weeks on planned medical leave. Many, many people go out for surgery or other personal leave periodically for lengths of time that long or longer with a lot less than 4-5-6 months notice. Just because you are pregnant doesn't mean that you don't want a job, need a job, or value a job.

[mindlor]

Why is it relevant? Should a individual who knows he's going to need knee surgery in the near future disclose that?

In fact I would say the person needing knee surgery should absolutely disclose that information. Its no different.

[fungez]

Well, at least you're consistent.

In my opinion, fraud is intention to deceive. As long as the applicant answers the questions honestly, there is no moral obligation to reveal any personal information, such as pregnancy, future anticipated surgery, past hx of addiction, etc, even if it might affect the employer in the future. YMMV.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

I would sleep just fine at night.

I don't see where their is any fraud involved. You are being hired for a job. You are not doing some case study where they ask you if you are pregnant and you say NO because you need the money.

When you get the job you still work just as a non pregnant person would.

When they are interviewing you they don't ask you if you are pregnant. They might ask if you have a criminal Hx if you are willing to submit to a drug test, but I have never been asked if I have been pregnant.

Most jobs will have a disclosure that they can terminate at any time for no reason and the employee can as well.

Is it fraud to lay people off? After all, they started working for the employer with the understanding they would have a job. They shouldn't be at fault for whatever issue arrived that caused them to be laid off. I am sure they wouldn't have taken the job if they knew that months later they might lose it.

As long as the pregnancy doesn't impede with them doing the tasks listed in the job description, I don't see what the problem is.

[mindlor]

Previous poster brings up a good point.

At what time in a pregnancy is it no longer safe to work as a hospital bedside RN? Turning patients, exposure to pathogens, etc etc.

Also previous poster sees no issue with taking a job whilst knowingly pregnant. Thats cool and is an individual choice. But to answer your question, you are taking a job, one where you know you will be counted on when you KNOW that in the very near future you will be unavailable for an extended period of time........