I’m in need of advice, I feel hopeless in today’s tech markets and corporations.

19 Comments

1. Nichola RamchurjeeFebruary 4,2023 at 9:05PM UTC

   Yes please be honest about your situation and companies that value women will be great fit for you

2. AnonymousFebruary 4,2023 at 9:13PM UTC

   This has to be illegal. If they are letting you go, they need to provide severance pay. Especially because you are pregnant. If they deny severance, you can definitely sue for this and call it discrimination based on your pregnancy. Please talk to a labor lawyer about your situation. As I see it, it’s a pretty cut and dry case. You can also negotiate with the severance (or lawsuit) for them to keep your health insurance through the end of the year or at least through your pregnancy. I was able to negotiate that as part of my severance, since I was let go at the height of COVID.

3. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistFebruary 4,2023 at 11:09PM UTC

   YOU SAID:

   "If they deny severance, you can definitely sue for this and call it discrimination based on your pregnancy."

   Stephanie did not say she was the only one laid off. Many companies - especially in the tech space - are laying off thousands of people. If she was part of a larger layoff, how would she be able to "definitely sue for this and call it discrimination based on your pregnancy."?

   Are you an attorney, qualified to be giving out legal advice?

4. AnonymousFebruary 5,2023 at 2:13PM UTC

   Perfectly said! Being pregnant does not entitle you to “additional severance” nor protect you from lay-offs. Obviously a company cannot terminate your employment BECAUSE you are pregnant, but lay-offs and terminations happen every day.

5. AnonymousFebruary 5,2023 at 12:42AM UTC

   Consult an attorney as soon as possible. It wouldn't hurt. Hopefully you may get additional severance - it would be better for them than a lawsuit. If nothing else, if you don't get anything, post everywhere what they did.

6. A MFebruary 5,2023 at 8:14AM UTC

   I would consult with an attorney. The fact that you are pregnant makes it unlawful for them to fire you. There are pregnancy laws that protect you.

7. SweetpollypurebreedFebruary 5,2023 at 8:57AM UTC

   I agree with poster listed below consult with an attorney. You can call your local bar association and they will give you a referral to a local lawyer for an initial discounted consultation. Or contact the local division of the federal EEOB bureau (equal employment opportunity bureau, I believe) and see if they will intervene as you may have been discriminated against.

8. AnonymousFebruary 5,2023 at 2:15PM UTC

   If you haven’t signed a Separation Agreement yet, I would take it to a lawyer first (you might have been given a couple days before having to return it to the employer?)

   You have rights. Also reach out to the federal equal opportunity bureau (it should be listed on your state government website or look up EEOB) Between the EEOB and having legal advice/guidance, you could might qualify for specific benefits, or a satisfactory financial resolution.

   I’m very sorry about the stress this is surely putting on you. I wish you all the best here.

9. AnonymousFebruary 5,2023 at 2:30PM UTC

   Do contact a lawyer to briefly verify the facts of your case. Do have your SO look for a job that will provide the health benefits. Do start looking/ working at something you can keep doing even if it moves to part time and doesn't give all the maternity leave you would like. It is tough, chin up....your are a problem solver. Hugs from one who was laid of 32 weeks pregnant and laid off again 6 weeks after baby 2 was born. From happily employed.

10. AnonymousFebruary 5,2023 at 3:33PM UTC

    So it won’t hurt to consult an employment attorney , however if the company can justify a layoff and that your position would have been impacted regardless of your pregnancy status, it’s unlikely to be considered discrimination, but I am not an attorney.

    Next, I’m sorry this happened, I can’t imagine how stressful.

    Be sure you start utilizing social services, contact you nearest Feeding America food bank, they can help you find a local distribution. Cut unnecessary expenses and make a game plan.

    It may be an unpopular opinion but most interviews are conducted virtually, if you’re in a good position to get back in the job market go for it. Depending on timing you may be able to find something you don’t even start until your maternity leave would have ended. Remember in the wake of corporate layoffs, worry about yourself, it’s no one’s business your pregnant, I wouldn’t worry about it until you are going to accept the job and need to negotiate your leave.

    Best of luck.

11. AnonymousFebruary 5,2023 at 6:53PM UTC

    The comments seem unanimous that you should contact an attorney. At the very least, you should be given medical coverage or have them pay for your COBRA payments until after the baby is born.

    Contact Social Services to see what you may be eligible for with food assistance, Medicaid (in place of COBRA), and any other help with your household expenses.

    You may want to look for jobs where you can work remotely to minimize the time you have to take off for maternity leave. It is not an ideal alternative to a month or so to bond with the newborn, but it is better than taking a shortened break due to necessity.

    One note about COBRA: Check out what happens when the baby is born. Is the baby eligible to be covered if you haven't secured a new position by then? This is why Marketplace insurance or Medicaid may be a better option (and should be cheaper too. If you are in a high-risk [pregnancy] category, be very careful because the stress could create late-term complications that cause you to go into premature labor. Be sure and let your OB know what you are going through because they can guide you specifically to your case. The pressure you are going through now is nothing compared to staring down at a bill for several weeks in a NICU.

12. AnonymousFebruary 5,2023 at 7:20PM UTC

    I'm glad your husband is ready to hit the market of employment. That is the good news. No, you don't have to disclose you're pregnant. So close to your due date I think transparency is a good thing though. Men these days have VERY similar challenges, just not the carrying the baby and doing the birthing. Please know that. I think you both need to step back and see what is most important at this juncture. Congrats on the new little one joining your growing family and good luck.

13. AnonymousFebruary 5,2023 at 7:22PM UTC

    don't feel contacting an attorney will bring you health coverage unless you can prove a bias termination due to pregnancy. Learn the employment laws for your state.

14. AnonymousFebruary 5,2023 at 8:55PM UTC

    Contacting an attorney can give her insight into the state's unemployment laws as it pertains [specifically] to termination during pregnancy and help her navigate on her own or represent her in a suit to renegotiate any severance she receives. When I was laid off in 2003, the company's severance package included two weeks' salary for each year employed plus a $5,000 bonus to cover six to nine months of COBRA payments, so this is not an unreasonable or unprecedented request. I did have to sign an NDA and No-Compete Agreement to receive the severance package. The comments below about COBRA coverage applying to the newborn are things the attorney can also help with. Most attorneys that handle this type of case will provide a free consultation to review the case and come back with a proposal if she chooses to move forward. Her case goes beyond what one can adequately "Google" unless they also have a legal background. (BTW, I am not an attorney, but this is what I would do.)

15. GraceFebruary 6,2023 at 2:43PM UTC

    I am very sorry that you find yourself in this very challenging situation. As a breadwinner myself, the constant anxiety of ensuring you provide for your family is always overwhelming. I think it is still worth the effort placing yourself as open for opportunities on LinkedIn. It doesn't hurt keeping that door open and you never know if an opportunity comes knocking. I don't think you are obliged to disclose you are pregnant, nor are you being deceitful if you choose not to. I value transparency and honesty in an interview, but being pregnant is not and should not be a factor for the employer to consider.

16. AnonymousFebruary 6,2023 at 3:29PM UTC

    Come work for the Federal government. We have Unions that help protect workers rights. This type of situation would never happen in my workplace. Lots of open positions for someone with your skill set at USA Jobs.
    https://www.usajobs.gov/Search/Results?k=Cybersecurity%20

17. AnonymousFebruary 6,2023 at 6:06PM UTC

    You should speak to an employment attorney, you may have some recourse depending upon the details and additionally may be able to recover some costs for medical benefits from them ongoing. I don't think flaming the world on any forum is going to make you feel better. This time of year is typically when companies in general in tech clean house, reset the new year and redo their budgets. I would continue to apply and perhaps focus on companies where there is a fully remote option. Don't bring your personal life into the conversation at all as it is irrelevant to your work. If they choose to hire you then you can make an educated decision about how to communicate your current state. Don't lie but unless you were planning on taking more than an average leave after having the baby share that info.

18. AnonymousFebruary 6,2023 at 6:40PM UTC

    I had a friend who was hired 6 months pregnant at a biotech company. Don’t loose faith

19. AnonymousFebruary 7,2023 at 7:10PM UTC

    Don’t give up! A close friend works for fin tech and they promoted her while she was pregnant, even though the 3 male decision-makers all had spouses who were not in the workforce. Change is happening!! One benefit is that you will know whoever hires you has evolved. I’m sorry this happened and wish you the best.