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-> Working Women
amother
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 Mon, Jul 09 2012, 10:46 pm
Obviously, I mean before you're showing, but you know you're going to be taking maternity leave in 7 months or so.
Are you obligated to tell a future employer that you're pregnant before they hire you?
And when are employees in general supposed to inform employers of pregnancy?
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MaBelleVie
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Mon, Jul 09 2012, 11:07 pm
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Yes, its absolutely fine, unless you won't be able to perform your job duties. When to tell really depends on the particular job. I have mentioned it at an interview before I was showing, because I felt it wouldn't hurt my chances, and I wanted to foster a good relationship. I got the job. But in some fields that would be an instant x over your name (obviously they would find a more legally sound reason to blame it on).
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BeershevaBubby
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Mon, Jul 09 2012, 11:30 pm
Since your question is 'is it ethical' and not 'is it legal'... IMO, I would say no, it's not ethical.
The company is going to invest time and money training you to their company. After you have the baby you may find you don't want to return to work. And of course there's the fact that you'd be taking away an opportunity from someone who can invest a lot more time, energy and attention to job than you can in that first year.
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OOTforlife
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Tue, Jul 10 2012, 12:22 am
| amother wrote: | Obviously, I mean before you're showing, but you know you're going to be taking maternity leave in 7 months or so.
Are you obligated to tell a future employer that you're pregnant before they hire you?
And when are employees in general supposed to inform employers of pregnancy? |
For the United States: I think it's fine as long as you're not misrepresenting yourself by, for example, claiming that you will be available to travel on a certain future date when you know that will be during your leave. Employers in the United States are aware that women get pregnant, that pregnancy is not always visible to the naked eye, and that the law forbids asking about it. They are effectively on notice of the possibility that you are pregnant at your interview. If they offer maternity leave, they know that female employees may get pregnant and take it at any time.
Employment in almost all states is at-will and employers know employees may leave at any time. If they wanted to be sure of you staying for a certain time, they'd offer you a contract for a number of years, but most employers will not because THEY are the ones who do not want to commit. I see nothing wrong in them bearing the risks of at-will employment if they're going to reap the benefits (I.e. the ability to fire you at any time for almost any reason).
Ethics aside, you may find it professionally awkward and/or bad for your reputation if your employer feels like you ambushed them last-minute. Strategically, the proper time to notify depends on a lot of factors. What kind of work is it, how fungible are you, how big is the company? Are you looking to rise up the ranks or stay in the same role getting a 3% raise once in a while? Do you want to build credibility now so that you can ask for special work-life balance favors later? How much notice do other women in that workplace typically give? And so on.
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thanks
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Tue, Jul 10 2012, 12:29 am
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My first day on my first job was one week before I was due with my first child. I intervied in my fifth month when I wasnt showing, then I had a second interview in my seventh month where I didn't think I was hiding anything (but Hashem closed their eyes). Since it was a gov't agency (NYPD), it took another two months for the paperwork to process.
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notshanarishona
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Tue, Jul 10 2012, 12:51 am
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I don't think so.. I think the ethical thing to do is to say something. Most employers would not want to spend several months training in s/o who will leave in 6 months. It may hurt your job opportunities but I think you will start out on the wrong foot if they find out a few weeks after hiring you.
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amother
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Tue, Jul 10 2012, 12:54 am
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OP: but what if it's so early in the pregnancy that I haven't told (and don't want to tell) anyone yet?
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Culturedpearls
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Tue, Jul 10 2012, 5:40 am
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No it's not ethical. I'm an employer & I can tell you that it takes us a good 6-7 mnths to train someone. During that time the persons wages are a liability only.
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3 little 1s
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Tue, Jul 10 2012, 6:08 am
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If it is possible I think OP should look for a temporary job- maybe covering someone elses maternity leave. Schools often have these types of jobs. If not there are other project based employment where you are employed only for the duration of the project.
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saw50st8
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Tue, Jul 10 2012, 6:11 am
I think it depends on your intentions - are you looking at this job as a stop gap for a short term? Are you looking long term?
If you are looking long term, then I think its ethical. You will be taking a short break in the middle, but you will come back and be a great employee.
As an aside, if you do get a job at this point, you aren't covered under FMLA and most company benefits.
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Chavelamomela
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Tue, Jul 10 2012, 7:56 am
I have been in this situation. If the company is looking to hire you, a woman of reproductive age, pregnancy is a known risk. It's likely it would come up at some point or another.
If this were your first child, I might be concerned that you would not return after your leave, but if you already have kids, you likely already have childcare covered, or at least, you know how to transition back to work, so it's not a major issue.
If they want to hire you, they'll hire you, pg or not.
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mimivan
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Tue, Jul 10 2012, 8:16 am
I've been working at my job for 6 years b'h...and I was hired 5 months pregnant, so I wasn't hiding it from anyone. It seemed like a miracle at the time and b'h I'm happy for their generous attitude. The fact that they did hire me anyway has fostered a sense of loyalty.
I think there might be an ethical issue if one knows one is pregnant but is trying to hide the fact.
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miami85
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Tue, Jul 10 2012, 9:43 am
According to labor laws if you are able to work then then you are eligible for work. I've spent a lot of time pregnant and on unemployment. Of course no one wants to HIRE a noticeably pregnant person, and employers can let you go if you are not meeting their performance standards. I had to go to unemployment job counseling meetings--where they go over your search record, and your resume to make sure that its decent, and they just had to ignore the "elephant in the room" that I was pregnant and that was the reason no one was hiring me. I had an interview when I was 7 months pregnant, I was told it was between me and another person, and while I have 5 yrs experience in my field, I was told that the person who got the job had "more experience"--yea right, and wasn't due in 2 months!
I think if you arent showing you are certainly not obligated to say anything. During the interview you may want to get a feel for the company policies for mommies--places to pump, if child is sick, if you aren't feeling well, will they hold it against you etc. Remember 7 months is a long time, YOU may not like the job that long.
IMHO I don't think ethics is the issue here, you need an income and they need a worker.
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amother
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Tue, Jul 10 2012, 11:08 am
| miami85 wrote: | According to labor laws if you are able to work then then you are eligible for work. I've spent a lot of time pregnant and on unemployment. Of course no one wants to HIRE a noticeably pregnant person, and employers can let you go if you are not meeting their performance standards. I had to go to unemployment job counseling meetings--where they go over your search record, and your resume to make sure that its decent, and they just had to ignore the "elephant in the room" that I was pregnant and that was the reason no one was hiring me. I had an interview when I was 7 months pregnant, I was told it was between me and another person, and while I have 5 yrs experience in my field, I was told that the person who got the job had "more experience"--yea right, and wasn't due in 2 months!
I think if you arent showing you are certainly not obligated to say anything. During the interview you may want to get a feel for the company policies for mommies--places to pump, if child is sick, if you aren't feeling well, will they hold it against you etc. Remember 7 months is a long time, YOU may not like the job that long.
IMHO I don't think ethics is the issue here, you need an income and they need a worker. |
Thanks! I think what it comes down to is the bolded. Who's to say a different worker would last longer than 6 months? And this job is so PERFECT for me. A job like this comes along once every few years. I mean, they may decide not to hire me anyway, but I feel like I shouldn't sabotage my chances when I will be an excellent employee for at least 6 months, and if they're really great employers, I would come back after my leave.
Does it change people's opinions if I tell you it's a frum employer, so they're most likely assuming that any woman they hire who already has kids or just got married will be having more kids?
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ElTam
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Tue, Jul 10 2012, 11:25 am
I would tell when the offer is made, along with your plan for how much maternity leave you'll need.
I'm being practical. If I hired someone and they told me they were pregnant shortly thereafter, I would doubt their honesty and integrity. It would not make for a good working relationship going forward. If you are meant to get the job, you will. It's no different than being Shomer Shabbos. You tell that you are going to need to leave early Friday in the winter and how you will make the time up before you are hired, not afterward.
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kenz
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Tue, Jul 10 2012, 11:40 am
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I once told my new employer as soon as he made an offer that I was just about 5 months pregnant (I don't show at that point) and two weeks later I had a stillbirth. It made for a very unpleasant atmosphere when I came in to work the following week. Do what you feel comfortable with.
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glowing
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Sun, May 18 2014, 6:41 pm
100 % ethical. you just need to be straightforward on the interview when youre due and what your plan is..
there is a law about discrimating against pregnant ladies..but you never know what their reason REALLY is about hiring you or not..
lots of hatzlacha!
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Fox
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Sun, May 18 2014, 8:58 pm
| saw50st8 wrote: | I think it depends on your intentions - are you looking at this job as a stop gap for a short term? Are you looking long term?
If you are looking long term, then I think its ethical. You will be taking a short break in the middle, but you will come back and be a great employee. |
This.
I don't think it's necessary to mention it during a preliminary interview, but if you receive an invitation for additional interviews and/or a job offer, you should definitely bring it up -- even if you're not telling family and friends yet.
When you mention that you'll need a short time off, be sure to sandwich it with examples of your stellar commitment and willingness to do whatever is necessary to make sure your absence is not too problematic.
This is also a case where taking a minimal maternity leave will be important; a new employee who insists on taking 12 weeks is not going to be very beloved.
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notshanarishona
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Sun, May 18 2014, 9:44 pm
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This thread is 3 years old.
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persephonefalls
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Fri, Jun 20 2014, 1:06 am
I know this thread is super old, but just for any future readers who come across it:
I spoke to an HR rep at my company, and asked her this very question: do you need to disclose if you're pregnant while job hunting?
And she said that you absolutely should not disclose. It's illegal for an employer not to hire you because you're pregnant, but they're interviewing lots of candidates--they can come up with plenty of other reasons they didn't choose you. Meanwhile, you'll be out on maternity leave for three months, and then back on the job. Ideally, you're a long term investment for the company--three months is barely a blink of an eye. If you're right for the position, you're right for it even if you need to take three months off.
So don't disclose and give them an excuse to not hire you.
(Same for Shabbat observance/leaving early on Fridays, btw.)
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