20 weeks pregnant, new RN grad, will they fire me

Nurses General Nursing

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Im reposting my reply to a different thread to see if anyone else had any advice! thank you!

I just wanted to post on here to see how everyone else faired when they started to work as a new RN but they were pregnant. I am a new grad (grad. last may 2009) been looking for a job ever since. I got pregnant (sooooo unexpectedly.....had trouble ever getting pregnant with my first 2 and surprise! 2 months after graduating and looking forward to a "break", I got pregnant!! it was such a shock) I applied to nursing homes since they are the only ones hiring...one called me back and offered me two positions: part time permanat day position or a pool position. I decided to be "honest" and tell them I was pregnant (didn't know when I applied, found out two days later). They said they could offer me the pool but NOT the permanant day position. I thought that was kinda weird but didn't say anything. I was put on bedrest for the summer (very minor bleeding,it's all cleared up now but I AM NOT HIGH RISK pregnancy, totally healthy I actually feel great) and they said it was FINE, just call whne I was cleared to work and not worry about a drs note. So, of course when I called back to say I was cleared, they said they couldn't hire me because I signed paperwork in July and now it's September. They had "no documentation" of my bedrest so couldn't tell management why the paperwork has different dates and couldn't hire me(it was the STRANGEST conversation I ever had) I knew it was because I was pregnant, but I was still in shock they would be so blatent and so RUDE on the phone! I was actually releieved after the shock wore off because I actually had a horrible feeling about working there. (too long to list the reasons)

Then suddenly, I got a call from an AWESOME place, better location, better working conditions,better pay...etc. I was thru the roof with exceitment. I applied to their company BEFORE I found out I was pregnant and they said they had my resume for awhile but there was nothing open until now. I interviewed with two people and decieded not to talk about my private life AT ALL. I usually talk about husband, children, where I live. etc. I kept it short and sweet and only worked off my resume. I am so gunshy about telling an employer I am pregnant and I have no legal reason to do so,so I didn't tell them.

I seem to have gotten the job and I am soooo psyched. I am now 20 weeks pregnant and not showing. I took a drug test and waiting for a call from their HR dept to set up orientation. I wont feel right about the job until have an official offer letter and I actually sign paperwork. I am TERRIFIED to tell anyone I am pregnant because of the horror stories I've heard and what happened before. My feeling is: if I am "honest" again and lose the job, and wait until I give birth, which is in March, I will now not only be competing with 2009 graduated like I have been (WE ALL KNOW HOW BAD THE JOBMARKET IS FOR NEW NURSES!) I will be then competing with all the 2010 graduates. I live in the Philly area and the job market is FLOODED with new nurses. It's really a miracle that this place called me to work with no experience (I am even thinking she may not have looked at my resume just the hours I was available to work!! Im not kidding!) So I am doing everything I can to show them I am eager to work and ready to give it my all.

Ive gotten advice to not tell them until 2 months before I give birth, which would be sometime late January. That gives them 2 months notice to fill my hours. It's NOT a full time position, it's 3 days a week, 8 hour shifts. So I would NOT need much maternity leave (maybe 4-6 weeks at the most) AND I am not asking for any health benefits, either. I just hope they will keep my position (you don't qualify for FMLA unless you work there for at least a year) so there is still a risk they can fire me on some other lame reason, but I will have to take that chance.

SO, after hearing this, HOw did everyone else fair at their job after they were hired pregnant?

How did you tell your boss?

Any advice to give me?

ANYTHING is appreciated!! I am not going to feel confident that i have a job until i have a stethescope around my neck and i am getting paid to be there!!

Thanks to everyone who reads this and to anyone who has advice or past experiences!!! thanks!!:sniff:

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First...it is illegal to discrimate because you are pregnant. That does not mean they can't come up with some other reason to get rid of you if they really want to. I would suggest just going about your job normally once you start working. Two months of notice sounds fine to me. Of course you might start showing before then :). Just be aware without FMLA you might not have a job to come back to simply because they might not be able to cover your hours and need to hire a new nurse. If they are truly a good employer and want your services they should be accomidating. Good luck with your new job and the new arrival in March!

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Specializes in Rehab/Post Acute.

I actually think the first place discriminated against you, which of course is illegal. Take the job, and tell them when you feel comfortable. Even if there is a problem at that point, now you have experience, and it will give you an edge over the new RN grads.

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR JOB!!!!!

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Congratulations on the new job and the pregnancy!

You can't legally be fired for being pregnant.

However, you CAN legally be fired if you're not doing your job--i.e., if you're constantly oversleeping and coming in late, taking excessive days off because you're sick, or you spend more time at work sitting down "resting" than actually providing patient care. The guideline is that if management can prove they'd fire a non-pregnant person for doing the same thing, they can do it to you--then the burden would be on you to prove its discrimination if you wanted to fight it.

That being said, the odds are in your favor that you won't be fired if you go in there and do your best--work as hard as you can within your limitations and show them that you're not going to use pregnancy as an excuse to slack (which IMO I think many employers fear). Good luck!

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.

Congrats on the Job and baby! :D

As someone else said, FMLA does not kick in until you have been with that company for at least a year. They don't legally have to hold your job for you, but hopefully, if you go in there and do your best, they may not have an issue with holding a job for a little while. I hope it all works out for you.

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I have no advise, just wanted to say "CONGRATS" on the pregnancy! :redpinkhe

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Specializes in critical care, PACU.

they probably would want to hold your job anyways after they spent all that money paying to train you

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.

Never mention you are pregnant at a job interview.

Never...I don't give a rat's behind what the law says.

Any employer can give ANY reason of why they went with another application.

You are under no legal obligation to tell your employer....and there is a REASON why the law states that.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

There is a good chance you will be automatically terminated during your pregnancy leave. A lot of employers technically terminate anyone automatically who misses a certain number of days of work.

However, if you are a good nurse and a good employee, they will probably want you to come back when you can -- and will try to make it easy for you to do so. Just don't give them any reasons to not want you to come back. Without the legal protection of FMLA, your pregnancy leave gives them the opportunity to choose not to re-hire you afterwards.

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Employers who don't want to get successfully sued for firing someone for illegal reasons will find "reasons" to fire the person. But I would not worry about retaliatory behavior on the job. You have enough on your plate as it is without looking for behavior that may or may not be there. All you can do is what you are supposed to do and that should be good enough. And congratulations on getting a job after graduation.

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Specializes in Medical ICU.

Ditto on not telling your future employer anything private/personal while interviewing. After you are 'officially' hired then go ahead and ask for time off for FMLA. Unfortunately some employers will discriminiate when you tell them of your future need for time off. They may not want to orient/train someone to be a zero productivity employee for eight weeks.

Congrats on the new baby and good luck!

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im reposting my reply to a different thread to see if anyone else had any advice! thank you!

i just wanted to post on here to see how everyone else faired when they started to work as a new rn but they were pregnant. i am a new grad (grad. last may 2009) been looking for a job ever since. i got pregnant (sooooo unexpectedly.....had trouble ever getting pregnant with my first 2 and surprise! 2 months after graduating and looking forward to a "break", i got pregnant!! it was such a shock) i applied to nursing homes since they are the only ones hiring...one called me back and offered me two positions: part time permanat day position or a pool position. i decided to be "honest" and tell them i was pregnant (didn't know when i applied, found out two days later). they said they could offer me the pool but not the permanant permanent day position. i thought that was kinda weird but didn't say anything. i was put on bedrest for the summer (very minor bleeding,it's all cleared up now but i am not high risk pregnancy, totally healthy i actually feel great) and they said it was fine, just call whne i was cleared to work and not worry about a drs dr's note. so, of course when i called back to say i was cleared, they said they couldn't hire me because i signed paperwork in july and now it's september. they had "no documentation" of my bedrest so couldn't tell management why the paperwork has different dates and couldn't hire me(it was the strangest conversation i ever had) i knew it was because i was pregnant, but i was still in shock they would be so blatent blatant and so rude on the phone! i was actually releieved relieved after the shock wore off because i actually had a horrible feeling about working there. (too long to list the reasons)

then suddenly, i got a call from an awesome place, better location, better working conditions,better pay...etc. i was thru the roof with exceitment. i applied to their company before i found out i was pregnant and they said they had my resume for awhile but there was nothing open until now. i interviewed with two people and decieded not to talk about my private life at all. i usually talk about husband, children, where i live. etc. i kept it short and sweet and only worked off my resume. i am so gunshy about telling an employer i am pregnant and i have no legal reason to do so,so i didn't tell them.

i seem to have gotten the job and i am soooo psyched. i am now 20 weeks pregnant and not showing. i took a drug test and waiting for a call from their hr dept to set up orientation. i wont feel right about the job until have an official offer letter and i actually sign paperwork. i am terrified to tell anyone i am pregnant because of the horror stories i've heard and what happened before. my feeling is: if i am "honest" again and lose the job, and wait until i give birth, which is in march, i will now not only be competing with 2009 graduated like i have been (we all know how bad the jobmarket is for new nurses!) i will be then competing with all the 2010 graduates. i live in the philly area and the job market is flooded with new nurses. it's really a miracle that this place called me to work with no experience (i am even thinking she may not have looked at my resume just the hours i was available to work!! im not kidding!) so i am doing everything i can to show them i am eager to work and ready to give it my all.

ive gotten advice to not tell them until 2 months before i give birth, which would be sometime late january. that gives them 2 months notice to fill my hours. it's not a full time position, it's 3 days a week, 8 hour shifts. so i would not need much maternity leave (maybe 4-6 weeks at the most) and i am not asking for any health benefits, either. i just hope they will keep my position (you don't qualify for fmla unless you work there for at least a year) so there is still a risk they can fire me on some other lame reason, but i will have to take that chance.

so, after hearing this, how did everyone else fair at their job after they were hired pregnant?

how did you tell your boss?

any advice to give me?

anything is appreciated!! i am not going to feel confident that i have a job until i have a stethescope around my neck and i am getting paid to be there!!

thanks to everyone who reads this and to anyone who has advice or past experiences!!! thanks!!:sniff:

absolutely never discuss your personal life or medical issues with an employer if you can possibly avoid doing so. repeat that a million times. i'm dead serious. never give them ammo. you have learned this the hard way. of course, since you were afraid to take the first offered job, it seems to be a good thing.

i don't think you need to worry about being fired for being pregnant, for not telling them, for taking m leave. babies happen. you are not required to inform them about being p. just do a great job now, for the next few months, and i think they will be thrilled to have you back. you will have already been oriented, trained, been made familiar with their facility and procedures. if you do a good job now, i think you'll be welcomed back with open arms.

if not, you will find something else. and you will then have experience.

best wishes to you.

i hope you don't mind my spelling corrections. i don't mean any harm. i just am at the breaking point in ignoring them. my intentions are good. please don't be mad.

again, wishing you all the best.

btw, there's no law that says you have to give them 2 months' notice, either, is there? when you start showing and can no longer hide your condition will be time enough, be that 7 months, the 8th month, whatever. you really probably owe them only a couple of weeks' notice, same as you'd give for resigning. that's just a guess. to be certain, consult a couple of employment/labor attorneys and/or hr specialists (not at your new job!!). are you planning to work until you go into labor? that might guide your revelation to the employer, also.

how to tell them? point at your tummy and say, "it's not a tumor." jk. you'll find a way, i'm sure. good luck.

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