Pregnant/New Job - when to tell employer

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  1. When do I tell?

    • 3
      Now
    • 0
      After you're 12 weeks but before you start
    • 12
      After you start the job

9 members have participated

Specializes in NICU.

I'd like some advice please!

I will be starting a new job soon and I am currently pregnant (11 weeks). My husband and I had been trying for over a year to conceive and at the time I applied for the position I was NOT pregnant and was unaware of the pregnancy until just before the job was offered to me. I didn't say anything at that time, being that I was only 7 weeks along.

I have the contingent offer letter (contingent on my background check, etc.) and should be receiving a final offer letter shortly. When should I let the hospital know that I'm expecting (due in November)?? After I start? After I get the final offer letter? Who do I tell - HR, the manager directly?

I would love to hear from anyone with advice. I'm really worried and don't want my manager to think I was keeping something from her, but I'm not even out of the 1st trimester yet so I didn't really think it was appropriate to say something when I was offered the job at 7 weeks and possibly jeopardize getting the job.

I'm not sneaky or shady or anything like that, but I'm so worried it will come across that way - like I was trying to pull something over them... This is the exact job that I wanted and feel blessed to have gotten the position. I just don't want to ruin their perception of me before (or after) I start.

Thanks!!

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

DEFINITELY wait until after you start. If you tell them now, you may find that the position disappears. It's not legal but it still happens a lot.

Depending on how long your probationary period is, I would suggest not saying anything to anyone until you're showing. I would say wait until probation is up, but you would probably be 6+ months by then.

BTW, you will not get FMLA for your leave, so there is that. There is still no guarantee there will be a job for you after you return from maternity, unfortunately.

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Specializes in Operating Room.

Technically they cannot discriminate against you for being pregnant although as klone mentioned it can 'disappear'. I was in the same spot about 8 years ago although I knew I was pregnant when I applied to the job but was very early on. I waited until I was about 2 months into the job before I let the managers know. When you feel like you're in the clear you should probably go to your supervisor first and let them guide you in the right direction on who to notify next. Best of luck to you and congratulations on your bundle of joy! :up:

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Same thing happened to me. I told them when I was about 10 weeks, and explained that I really didn't plan it that way and wasn't pregnant when i accepted the job. They gave me a really nice shower when I left at 39 weeks, though. :)

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

Personally I would not formally tell anyone. They can't discriminate formally. I would not hide it either though. If your preceptor asks if you have kids I would happily explain I am xx weeks pregnant so excited, like it's no big deal.

While it is true you can not get fmla some states have different policies. When I worked in MA they had additional rights for parents after the birth of a child - 8 weeks of unpaid leave even if you had been employed less than a year. Plus my employer had short term disability which provided me with 60% of my pay while I was out.

So my opinion is, don't run to HR or make it a big deal but don't hide it either. Especially if you plan to return to the job after having the baby.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Congratulations! on the job and baby!

There is no need to tell them now. I would wait until you are on the floor and beginning to show. Let them know that you intend on returning to work after the baby and working well into the pregnancy.

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No need to say anything until either

a) you are in a spot where you have to give notice where your ability to work is reduced or eliminated

b) you have maternity benefits

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Specializes in NICU.

Thanks! You all made me feel better about my choice to wait to tell them until after I start. I'm sure I'm making a much bigger deal about it in my head, than they will, but I just want to start off on the right foot :-)

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

I would wait until I was showing, due to the reasons stated above. Congratulations on this long awaited baby!!

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