Pregnancy Discrimination - Interview

[Art_Vandelay]

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.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Sigh. That's what's daunting. She received a hundred applications. I'm going to venture a guess that there is a strong likelihood that someone is "equally qualified" though they may be missing my charm(j/k).

And that is also the reality: you may not get the job not due to your pregnancy, but because someone who really is equally or even more qualified than you also applied. Could your pregnancy still play a factor in this? Possibly--as others have said, when compared to someone of equal skill a pregnancy could make you appear less desirable.

But the law leaves the burden of proof on the part of the pregnant woman--she has to prove that it was certainly discrimination d/t pregnancy. And for the women who do pursue the case and it goes to court, it doesn't always end in victory because the employer can successfully prove otherwise.

All you can do is keep trying. Best of luck.

[redhead_NURSE98!, ADN, BSN]

It's a difficult position to be in. Telling the truth might eliminate you from consideration, but withholding the truth might really burn some bridges.

I hired a new MA last week and she started on Tuesday. She told me Tuesday morning that she is 3 months pregnant. I was furious, because no, I wouldn't have hired her if I knew that. Having a float MA who doesn't know my routine and preferences screws my entire day to pieces, and I am not going to do that for 6 to 12 consecutive weeks. She suspected as much and told me that is why she didn't mention it during the interviews. What she didn't think through is that she has a 90 probation period. Guess what, she isn't going to make it that far. We decided within 2 hours of getting the happy news that we are going to let her go tomorrow afternoon.

I could never trust her or believe anything she tells me, because I now know she tells truths selectively, to benefit herself. I can't work with someone I don't trust; the stakes are too high and my responsibility too great. Before the end of her probation period I don't need a reason, and she will just be told "we are not a good fit, it isn't working out," yada yada yada. It isn't the pregnacy so much as the dishonesty and self serving approach. So, with the subsequent total lack of trust and respect, no, she and I aren't a good fit. Worse for her still, she's done with the whole company, forever. We are the largest consortium of providers in the state, and no one will touch her. If she had told the truth I probably wouldn't have hired her, but someone else might have, if not now perhaps after the delivery. Now she's totally screwed.

So think about your options very carefully. Good luck.

No, I think you will be the one who is screwed. "Woman is hired. Employer finds out woman is pregnant. Employer fires woman THREE DAYS LATER saying it's not a good fit." Enjoy your lawsuit!

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

Eh. Why get pregnant when you know that you'll be job hunting soon/now? Is getting pregnant when you can't afford to pay your bills a good idea, really?

Biggest problem my unit has had when hiring pregnant nurses is that they orientate, or semi-orientate, then they're off for 8-9 weeks and come back needing to be totally re-orientated to the unit, basically. Some are hired as full-time, staffed as full-time, then decide after having the kiddo that they want to go part-time.

[klone, MSN, RN]

It's a difficult position to be in. Telling the truth might eliminate you from consideration, but withholding the truth might really burn some bridges.

I hired a new MA last week and she started on Tuesday. She told me Tuesday morning that she is 3 months pregnant. I was furious, because no, I wouldn't have hired her if I knew that. Having a float MA who doesn't know my routine and preferences screws my entire day to pieces, and I am not going to do that for 6 to 12 consecutive weeks. She suspected as much and told me that is why she didn't mention it during the interviews. What she didn't think through is that she has a 90 probation period. Guess what, she isn't going to make it that far. We decided within 2 hours of getting the happy news that we are going to let her go tomorrow afternoon.

I could never trust her or believe anything she tells me, because I now know she tells truths selectively, to benefit herself. I can't work with someone I don't trust; the stakes are too high and my responsibility too great. Before the end of her probation period I don't need a reason, and she will just be told "we are not a good fit, it isn't working out," yada yada yada. It isn't the pregnacy so much as the dishonesty and self serving approach. So, with the subsequent total lack of trust and respect, no, she and I aren't a good fit. Worse for her still, she's done with the whole company, forever. We are the largest consortium of providers in the state, and no one will touch her. If she had told the truth I probably wouldn't have hired her, but someone else might have, if not now perhaps after the delivery. Now she's totally screwed.

So think about your options very carefully. Good luck.

This entire post is just gross to me. No wonder she didn't tell you. Because you wouldn't have hired her anyway. And now you've blacklisted her. Lovely.

[klone, MSN, RN]

The truth is that pregnancy discrimination would be very hard to prove, especially in this economy with its glut of nurses.

Unless, of course, they come to AN and announce that's why they didn't hire the person.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Not being mean here, being real. Why would an employer want to hire a pregnant girl, give them insurance, and then hold their job when they take FML? Per Diem work is what I'd go for.

I dunno, because some employers are decent? And family friendly? And recognize that they are valuable employees and worth it?

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Wouldn't giving special treatment, assignments and desirable days off to pregnant women be the equivalent of discriminating against those who are NOT pregnant? Just wondering. And giving preferable days off or easier assignments or jobs to those who are pregnant in order to be "family friendly" is a ridiculous way of looking at it. Most of us have a family, whether or not we have children or are pregnant.

[redhead_NURSE98!, ADN, BSN]

Wouldn't giving special treatment, assignments and desirable days off to pregnant women be the equivalent of discriminating against those who are NOT pregnant? Just wondering. And giving preferable days off or easier assignments or jobs to those who are pregnant in order to be "family friendly" is a ridiculous way of looking at it. Most of us have a family, whether or not we have children or are pregnant.

People who are not in any sort of protected class can't be discriminated against, in the legal sense. It's unfortunate for those of us who don't have kids, or are men, but that's life. I had to lol at the above saying facilities would open themselves to "reverse discrimination;" good luck with that one, pal!

They should NOT be getting easier assignments. If they couldn't do the job their doctor should have written them off. On my floor we have a detailed sheet each shift that each nurse fills out giving their patients' issues like contact precautions, PICCs, confused, fall risk, and the level of nursing care needed for each patient, and we also keep a record of each day's assignments, so it could easily be shown to HR that a pregnant person is constantly sucking up all the min's and mod's. If I felt for a second that someone was constantly receiving a disproportionate assignment I'd be the first person discussing it. In reality though, even working with a crew that at one time had 4 pregnant women on it, I have never felt that way.

[Art_Vandelay]

The pregnant employee I spoke of earlier was definitely given preferential treatment; she was always assigned the easiest patients and never had to do any lifting. She was babied and milked it. (Pun intended.). But that's not what I'm going to do.

[amoLucia]

Wouldn't giving special treatment, assignments and desirable days off to pregnant women be the equivalent of discriminating against those who are NOT pregnant? Just wondering. And giving preferable days off or easier assignments or jobs to those who are pregnantit all in order to be "family friendly" is a ridiculous way of looking at it. Most of us have a family, whether or not we have children or are pregnant.[

You said it all!!!

I have a suggestion - since we're talking reduced job duties for pregnant employees, how about REDUCED WAGES for them ??? Say, half-wages? Would that be fair?? You'll get paid only for the reduced, lessened work load.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Eh. Why get pregnant when you know that you'll be job hunting soon/now? Is getting pregnant when you can't afford to pay your bills a good idea, really?

Not knowing the OP's circumstances, keep in mind that not all pregnancies are timed with precision or even planned in the first place. And birth control has been known to fail.

Sometimes it just happens.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Those considering simultaneous job-seeking and pregnancy, who are responsible for their own employer-provided health insurance, should carefully investigate the possibility that their new employer's insurance excludes maternal benefits for the first 6 months to 1 year.

And, recalling my own pregnancy-induced hypertension, required bedrest, and c-section always makes me chuckle when I read of those who just *know* that they will work up until their delivery date, and return to work within a couple of week after delivery, *for sure*. Life is what happens when you're making other plans.