Job

[Jessieb97]

Hi ladies

I’m due to start a new job on Wednesday, I am currently 15 weeks pregnant

When do you think is the best time to tell my boss that I’m pregnant?

TIA x

[MissEd]

Tricky. Im guessing you didnt know when you were interviewed? Id have to tell them straight away

[Prosopon]

Personally I would tell them straight away as pregnancy is a protected characteristic and you will be covered by the equality act. They will also be able to do a risk assessment to ensure that you and your baby's wellbeing is considered etc.

[Laura008 in reply to Prosopon]

I was in the same situation. I guess she'd be on probation period of few months so what if they don't extend the contract after that? Of course they would not say it was because she is pregnant...

[Prosopon in reply to Laura008]

I don't know. I was just saying what I would do. I suppose the original poster has to weigh up the risks and decide what is best for them. I personally would prefer my employer know as soon as possible.

[Seb9]

Hi I would tell them straight away, so they can do your risk assessment etc. You probably already know but you probably won't be entitled to statutory maternity pay from your job, but should be entitled to maternity allowance from the government. They are really behind on processing payment, it's taking over 6 weeks in some cases. So if you do need to apply for it, do it as soon as you can. Best of luck, sorry if I'm telling you stuff you already know but I left applying till later on and nearly didn't get paid till after my little one arrived x

[Shelleybean]

I would just get it over with and tell them on the first day, otherwise it might be difficult waiting for the right moment.

Someone at my last place of work did this and said she don’t know at the interview, was really sorry to drop it on them on the first day but just wanted to be honest. Bosses were pretty fine about it, but nothing they can do/ say even if they’re not due to your rights when pregnant. Good luck with your new job! xx

[Laura008]

By law you don't have to tell them before you're 27 weeks something like that, you can check.

[FiArg]

Hi Jessie, I was in the same position as you pretty much. I also work in HR 🙈. I told my boss roughly just before the time of my 20 week scan. I wanted to know a bit more about my bosses, the Company culture and their approach to us working expectant mums before just leaping in and telling them. I honestly didn't know at the time I interviewed that I was pregnant but did know by the time I started work, so this made it easier to wait. However even if you did know by the interview, it's really up to you when you tell them, plus in my experience expectant mums who have been working a while don't just jump in and tell their employer as soon as they know they are pregnant and most wait until about 20 weeks so why should you tell your employer sooner than you feel ready? Unless you work in an environment, e.g. a factory, a hospital etc, where you and baby may be exposed early on to health and safety risks, e.g. x rays, manual handling etc, then I wouldn't say you need to say straight away as an expectant mother risk assessment will really only be super useful if there's a lot of risks to manage for you and baby in the workplace. That being said, if you're suffering from any pregnancy related illness like morning sickness and/or you need flexibility to attend your appointments then I would recommend telling your employer sooner rather than later (I used holidays and flexi time I built up to attend my appointments before I told work). I was so worried when I told my employer but I didn't have any reason to be, they were very supportive and assured me it was very common. The only downsides I have found being in a new job, is that I don't qualify for enhanced Maternity pay or SMP, because I didn't have the required 6 months continuous service by the 15th week before my baby was due to be born. However I am claiming Maternity Allowance so I would recommend you look into Gov.UK advice on that. The other thing is my work have a very long probation period as standard (9 months), so there was no way I was going to have enough service to have passed it by the time I went on Mat Leave... consequently my probation has been extended so I still need to do 5 months by time I go back to work with my little one at nursery before I know if I've passed... 🤞. It's perfectly legal for them to extend my probation in this way l, as to be fair, I've not been there long enough for them to make an assessment of my performance etc, although I would say this very long probabtion period is a bit unnecessary and of course, it does negatively impact me as a me mother si could be argued as indirect discrimination... but that's an argument I don't fancy taking up whilst I am still on probation! Best of luck when you do decide to tell them, they should be fine and if not don't forget you can also consult your HR dept or ACAS or your Union if needed. Finally so be aware as one poster has mentioned you do legally need to tell your employer of your pregnancy in order to qualify for maternity leave, I think, this is 15 weeks before your due date but I would check that and by that time your employer may have guessed! X