I am in the process of interviewing for a job and found out I'm pregnant.

9 Comments

1. AnonymousJanuary 14,2025 at 7:44PM UTC

   When you are in the offer stage you request to see their benefits detail so you can make an informed decision. You should get that without setting off any alarms.

   There is no need to request that information at this stage

2. Anne KrookJanuary 14,2025 at 10:00PM UTC

   Look at the overall benefits info if you get to the offer stage. No need to engage on that topic now. Do pay close attention to their health insurance options, if any, and to those policies' maternity coverage, particularly in case of complicated pregnancies. But all that should be available without your notifying anyone at the company of your pregnancy

3. AnonymousJanuary 15,2025 at 1:26AM UTC

   First of all congratulations!

   Agree with others here. Until you get an offer and can review the benefits then you can make your own decision. It’s illegal to discriminate so don’t plant that seed. If the benefits are suitable for you and you get the offer take it. Then in your 2nd trimester you can address time out that you will need.

4. maria roseJanuary 15,2025 at 7:20PM UTC

   Good advice that I hope the OP understands. I going with the understanding that the OP needs a job , which is why they are searching for a job and now they also find themselves pregnant which has nothing to do with job search.

   The only additional advice I would add is to not assume that any leave is a paid leave and to research the application of the FLMA in their geographic location along with the potential company policy on handling leave if absence no matter the reason.as every geographic location doesn’t include the paid part of the leave which is the implied question being asked. I wish this OP success in job search and congrats to a safe healthy pregnancy and birth .

5. AnonymousJanuary 16,2025 at 10:13PM UTC

   Yes, great points! :-)

6. AnonymousJanuary 17,2025 at 6:29PM UTC

   You don't even mention it. What you can and should do is ask for a copy of the employee handbook if and when you get to the offer stage. Then you can review the written policy for the company.

7. AnonymousJanuary 17,2025 at 6:46PM UTC

   Do you have a current job? If not, disregard. If you do, what are your benefits? Personally I moved roles during my 4th round of IVF .. found out I was pregnant in my training week and a few weeks later was at my first OB appointment when my manager asked me where I was - it was on my calendar and I said I was at the doctor.

   Funny enough - I was fully remote - it only took a few more weeks for them to start giving me a hard time when I said I had another doctor appointment. At this point I was finally 14 weeks and in the second tri so I shared with HR (thinking this would help management get 'off my back') and by 20 weeks I was laid off.

   Depending on the hiring process, it could take weeks to get to the offer stage so by then you may be further along.. I would definitely consider in this climate being open once you get an offer about benefits, etc because there are no protections within those first 90 days I found out for pregnancy, they will just say its 'not a good fit' during trial period and let you go. In my case I ended up too far along to really get another role, in that point where I was at the doctor all the dang time so was never going to work, couldn't hide it and never would have qualified for maternity leave (and I didn't). If you can stand to stay put in a current role until after you have the baby - just my two cents in this economy.

8. AnonymousJanuary 18,2025 at 4:24PM UTC

   although overall maternity leave benefits have improved since the early 2000’s I recall a coworker not getting the full leave because she had not been at the company a year, I think this was in 2005 or 2006. I think she’d only been there five months, maybe six, regardless she only received the six weeks of short term disability. See if you can research just to be on the safe side

9. AnonymousJanuary 20,2025 at 3:28PM UTC

   I was in a similar situation. I was in the interview process when I found out that I was pregnant. I waited till I got the offer to let my potential employer know. I reviewed all the benefits and my new employer only offered mat leave if you have been at the company for over a year so I didn’t qualify. Ultimately, I decided to take the new job because it has a lot more growth opportunity and a great new title. I will be sacrificing short term with no maternity pay, but I think it’s better for the long term. I felt a huge weight off me when I told them during the offer stage that I was pregnant. Luckily, they were understanding, but still couldn’t offer me maternity leave since I haven’t been there for a year. I think it depends on the company but their response was positive when I told them so it helped with my decision.