Tell them I'm pregnant?

KyPinkRN · Jan 27, 2011

Look I will tell you straight. I see a lot of threads on here about people trying to 'hide' their baby bumps and lying to employers. I used to work in nursing HR, granted it was over 20 years ago now (I was not a RN then), but there was nothing that made my boss more annoyed than people who lied about being pregnant, so much that she used to ask them directly, and they put the question on their employment form. She knew it was because they thought they would be discriminated against, but they need the info to work out staffing, for example, they are not going to roster you to a heavy ward if you will be big in a few months time. It's going to show, you will need different uniforms, you will obviously need time off, so how do you think you are going to hide it? This sort of thinking really fascinates and baffles me, because if you don't tell the employer you are not being open and honest, and they will see this as a black mark on your record.
Be honest and up front. Nobody likes a liar, and if you say no, there is nothing that will hinder you in your employment, you ARE straight out lying.
It used to drive my old boss crazy when nurses would admit they were pregnant after being hired.
How do you think they aren't going to find out?
ADD: Also what about if they want you to do shifts in radiology or with chemotherapy? You are going to have to tell them you are pregnant then.

Asking someone if they are pregnant in a job interview... straight up discrimination waiting to happen. No way would I be forthcoming with that info. I simply would say that I wouldn't answer that question-pregnant or not. There is a reason why women feel they HAVE to hide being pregnant. I'd be curious to know how many people your boss didn't hire because they were honest about that. I bet it was a lot because she didn't want to be bothered with accomodating staffing needs or looking at "bigger" women on her units, or having to get them different uniforms... this isn't the fifties and some women need to work while they are pregnant. It's just not possible to sit at home and wait til they're more appealing to future employers.

Simply Complicated · Jan 27, 2011

Are people not reading the OP? She will have already had the baby, the baby will be 2 months old by the time she starts school. So she will not need time off, have to hide a baby bump, or any of that.

I wouldn't tell them. It's not like you are going to have to go out on maternity leave or anything like that. People go through school with kids all the time. People work full time jobs, and go to school with newborns. If you have a good support system, and can do it.. then being pregnant now shouldn't even be an issue they need to know about.

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Jan 29, 2011

A lie is a lie, no matter if it is about a baby or anything else.

Be honest, and in the end, save yourself a lot of strife.

BTW a baby does not stay a baby, so it doesn't matter if she needs time off or not! You still have to figure in babysitting, time for study, time for leisure (joking, with a baby!), also what about when the 'baby' starts school? You need time to pick them up, drop them off, shuttling kids around to activities, and all the other myriad things that kids like to do.

What happens when the next one comes along? Lie about that too? And I'm not talking re discrimination - I'm talking about being a moral person.

Not a very good way to start a new job I don't think.

Simply Complicated · Jan 31, 2011

A lie is a lie, no matter if it is about a baby or anything else.
Be honest, and in the end, save yourself a lot of strife.
BTW a baby does not stay a baby, so it doesn't matter if she needs time off or not! You still have to figure in babysitting, time for study, time for leisure (joking, with a baby!), also what about when the 'baby' starts school? You need time to pick them up, drop them off, shuttling kids around to activities, and all the other myriad things that kids like to do.
What happens when the next one comes along? Lie about that too? And I'm not talking re discrimination - I'm talking about being a moral person.
Not a very good way to start a new job I don't think.

Except she is not asking about a job. She is asking this regarding an interview for nursing school. So "later" is not going to matter. It really is none of their buisness if she has a new baby. As long as she feels she can do it.

But if you are saying that, does that mean that people should be required to discolose in a job interview if they have children at home?

melmarie23, MSN, RN · Jan 31, 2011

A lie is a lie, no matter if it is about a baby or anything else.
Be honest, and in the end, save yourself a lot of strife.
BTW a baby does not stay a baby, so it doesn't matter if she needs time off or not! You still have to figure in babysitting, time for study, time for leisure (joking, with a baby!), also what about when the 'baby' starts school? You need time to pick them up, drop them off, shuttling kids around to activities, and all the other myriad things that kids like to do.
What happens when the next one comes along? Lie about that too? And I'm not talking re discrimination - I'm talking about being a moral person.
Not a very good way to start a new job I don't think.

good lord. It is this very type of thinking that holds women back. As if she can't do both-be a mom and a successful career woman (or student)! Oi freaking vey!

melmarie23, MSN, RN · Jan 31, 2011

OP-I finished the last two semesters of my accelerated, direct entry, Masters nursing program pregnant. Graduated at 9 months pregnant (and just had him 3 weeks ago).

I say you are fine. Hide it as best you can if that is what makes you comfortable. Or rock it. Fact of the matter is that you do not have to do one v. other. Your choice. Beauty aint it?

bree* · Feb 5, 2011

Sweetheart, if anything, I think you should read this thread first:https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/unemployed-nurses-530527.html

Something just doesn't sit right with me encouraging a pregnant woman to go to nursing school. But regardless, you don't owe it to anyone to tell them you're pregnant.

BabyLady, BSN, RN · Feb 5, 2011

Look I will tell you straight. I see a lot of threads on here about people trying to 'hide' their baby bumps and lying to employers. I used to work in nursing HR, granted it was over 20 years ago now (I was not a RN then), but there was nothing that made my boss more annoyed than people who lied about being pregnant, so much that she used to ask them directly, and they put the question on their employment form. She knew it was because they thought they would be discriminated against, but they need the info to work out staffing, for example, they are not going to roster you to a heavy ward if you will be big in a few months time. It's going to show, you will need different uniforms, you will obviously need time off, so how do you think you are going to hide it? This sort of thinking really fascinates and baffles me, because if you don't tell the employer you are not being open and honest, and they will see this as a black mark on your record.
Be honest and up front. Nobody likes a liar, and if you say no, there is nothing that will hinder you in your employment, you ARE straight out lying.
It used to drive my old boss crazy when nurses would admit they were pregnant after being hired.
How do you think they aren't going to find out?
ADD: Also what about if they want you to do shifts in radiology or with chemotherapy? You are going to have to tell them you are pregnant then.

I can tell you an easy reason why people should NEVER tell during an interview for a job or school that you are pregnant with a new baby...because you WILL GET discriminated against.

Nobody is going to hire someone that will need to take FMLA in less than a year, especially when they know that up front...and even moreso when they have other equally qualified applicants to choose from.

Seriously...why would they?

You may have worked in HR for 20 years but understand that your boss broke the law when they asked women if they were pregnant...one trip to the EEOC website and you'll see documented cases in the HUNDREDS OF THOUSDANDS of dollars where women were discriminated against while pregnant, did not get a job, it was mentioned during the job interview, etc.

I personally, was discriminated against by a company that I had iron-clad loyalty to after I had a child born that had a very difficult beginning (she is fine now)...everything was A-Ok, until I returned from materity leave and then I needed to take additional time off (never exceeding FMLA time)...then a campaign was waged against me by my bosses to get rid of me...I finally left on my own.

That company, is not longer in existance, however, one of my former bosses confirmed what I already knew: They didn't want to work around my baby's doctor's appointments.

These laws didn't get passed because companies were honest...they were passed because they were DISHONEST.

A nursing school CANNOT ask you ANY questions that would be illegal for an employer to ask, especially if it is a public school.

The only reason your boss was peeved when they learned that someone was pregnant and hid it was because your boss NEVER INTENDED for that person to be called for an interview or hired to start with!!!!!

Cinquefoil · Feb 6, 2011

Just FYI not all nursing schools defer admissions. I got accepted to one and then unexpectedly had to turn it down because of life circumstances, asked if they would defer my admission and they said they never do.

So find out if your school defers before you start to depend on it!