Just told boss im pregnant, not sure what to do??

[CS_and_bump]

Hi,

5 weeks ago I started a new job and at the time of getting it I didn’t tell them I was pregnant (although i knew i was). It’s only a small company with 4 staff and the director. It is through an agency so I’m still on a temporary week by week contract with the agency. I am getting bigger and bigger now 17 weeks so I couldn’t avoid telling him and thought it was the right thing to do, but now I’m not so sure. I told him that as I’ve not been there long enough he won’t have to pay any maternity pay or keep my job open so he’s not got much to lose, but he just said let me think about it and then went home.

I’m really worried that at the end of the week I’m not going to have a job and who’s going to employ a pregnant woman? I feel so down now.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? what was the outcome?

x x x

 

[baby030611]

Aw that's terrible I haven't had this although my boss has been off since another team member became pregnant ( that's now 3 of us on a team of 5 all due between end of April and end of July) and the last girl to tell her got a right gob full and my manger stormed off and now is funny with every single one of us lol

Immature I know

So not the same but kinda get where your coming from fingers crosses for you hun xxx

Let us know what happens xx

 

[Eleanor ace]

Hiya,

I was in a similar situation- working as a supply teacher but on a temporry basis. I told them about my pregnancy and then they phoned to say that things had changed and they didn't need me after Christmas (I was supposed to be going back for at least a week). I know it was because of my pregnancy- I was getting on well and they'd even talked about making me a permanent offer. But I let it go as I have contacts elsewhere and didn't feel like it was worth a fight. But if your boss decides to get rid of you I would ask him for an explanation- you are entitled to this. If he can't come up with a reasonable explanation the I'd remind him that he will not lose out financially through having to pay maternity allowance etc, and that legallypregnancy is not a valid reason for termination of contract. I'd also have some leflets/stuff printed off the internet to hand, explaining your rights and your employers responsibilities. I got a lealet to this effect in my first Bounty pack but there's stuff all over the internet. Hopefuly he will decide that he has nothing to lose keeping you on (and I'm sure you do a great job!) but it can't hurt to be prepared.
Good luck!

 

[amy_1234]

Hun it doesn't matter how long you have worked for a company you are still entitled to maternity pay you just have to work into your 25th week of pregnancy to qualify.

I would defanatly question him if he gets rid of you as you have a lit of rights whilst pregnant xxx

 

[Geek]

Are you in the UK?
It doesn't matter how long you have worked for them you are still entitled to maternity leave (even if it's a tempory contract I believe) and you will be entitled to maternity pay along as you have worked there for 26 weeks before you take it. Even if you haven't worked there long enough for them to pay you maternity you can still take the leave and get paid maternity allowance from the government ( about £125 a week I think).

If you started the job when you were 5 weeks pregnant you will qualify for maternity pay when you are 31 weeks, you won't be able to take it until you are 32 weeks though because you have to let them know you are pregnant 15 weeks before you take it.

I'll find you the link that explains it all a lot better than I can

 

[blondebabe]

i thought there was a law saying that if your pregnant u cant get fired!!! watch the movie "labor pains" with Linsey Lohan its fab xx

 

[CS_and_bump]

Thanks for all your advice, I don't think I will get maternity pay but if he keeps me on I will get maternity allowance. I just want to know where I am as I'm only on a temporary contract and I don't want him to finish me in a month or so and then I end up with nothing x

 

[Chocoholic123]

How long have you been with the agency? Im also a temp, have been with my agency several years so i qualify for stat maternity pay through them. Im lucky that ive been in my job a few years so even as a temp they have promised to keep my job open for me and they are getting someone to cover for me.

 

[Mya209]

It was unfair of him to leave you hanging, I think he could technically let you go at the end of your contract if you're a temp as they don't have to give a reason but he'd be really out of order. I doubt he'd want to let you think it was due to your pregnancy though! Do you have an HR department or anyone that might be able to advise you of your rights if the news is bad. You don't know that this is what he's thinking though! Don't worry!

 

[CS_and_bump]

Its a really small company I started 5 weeks ago found the job through a recruitment agency they said it would be a 2 week trial then a view to take me on full time once the 2 week trial was over. After the 2 weeks he said he hadn't seen me sell and that's what the role was for (he's only just set up so there's nothing to sell yet!) He said he would keep me on a trial week by week basis. I have told the recruitment consultant and she's going to try and push him for an answer if he says the reason for not taking me on permanently is because I've not been able to sell yet is true then as I've still had nothing to sell it would be wrong of him to get rid of me now, but not sure he can or can't do it?? X

 

[missjaime]

i can understand that your worried but shouldnt you have told him in the first place that you were pregnant ive had this
i hired a girl once and i asked her how long she wants to stay she said 2 years full time which i was looking for. turns out she was 12 weeks pregnant at the time and at 20 weeks she told me she was pregnant and that she wanted to apply for the materity leave. she turned out staying till she was at the legal requirement to be able to qualify for paid leave and not a day more. alot of time and money went into training her and she turned out taking her legal paid leave off then returned for one week and then we never saw her again.
i now ask that question everytime we hire a female so it can back us up if it happens again and she would not qualify for paid leave.
im sure you wouldnt be the same but it still gets employers worried.
but he still shouldnt be leaving you hanging thats not right
i hope it goes ok for you hun

 

[stucknthecity]

Not sure how the laws differ from the US to the UK but over here if you don't inform your new employer of the pregnancy when your filling out the application and HR paperwork then they view it as lying on your application. Hence they can fire you without reason and if your within your first 90 days (probation period) they don't have to give you a reason anyways.

The company I am with hired temp employees from time to time when we are short handed from a local agency just down the road. We don't have to offer those employees any benefits or special privileges for however long they decide to stay. After 90 days however if they are still with us we give them the option to become a full time employee and then they must fill out our HR paperwork and endure another 90 day probation period.

We had a girl a few months ago who spent her 90 days here under the wing of the temp agency, when offered to go full time she excepted and filled out the necessary paperwork. The next month she said she had come down with the flu and was gone for a few days, upon her return she announced she was pregnant about 3 months along. She was working in the fabrication shop with chemicals and heavy equipment and heavy lifting and her doctor advised her to find work elsewhere. She stayed for another month until she made the decision it was no longer safe for her and her baby. Although we did what we could to keep her safe ( respirator mask , no lifting ) she still had to preform the duties she said she could do on her application. She left on her own but if she had chosen to stay at the end of her 2nd 90 day probation period she could have legally been let go due to non performance as stated on application. She did get to file for unemployment benefits but she will only recive them until she gets another job. She will not be applicable for any other payments from our company.


I am not saying that not telling them was the wrong thing to do but since you knew before you took the job that you were pregnant and you were also told before they knew you were pregnant that you would be on a week to week basis I am almost positive that they would not be doing anything legally wrong if they let you go. But like I said earlier I am not sure how things differ between the US and UK so your temp agency may give you maternity pay or set you up to get government allowance.

EDIT* Just read previous post. Don't know how it works in every country but I do know in the US an employer cannot ask an applicant if she is pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant during the time she plans on working for the company as it violates numerous laws. Same thing as not being able to ask someone if they can pass a drug screen test and a background check.

 

[missjaime]

Not sure how the laws differ from the US to the UK but over here if you don't inform your new employer of the pregnancy when your filling out the application and HR paperwork then they view it as lying on your application. Hence they can fire you without reason and if your within your first 90 days (probation period) they don't have to give you a reason anyways.

The company I am with hired temp employees from time to time when we are short handed from a local agency just down the road. We don't have to offer those employees any benefits or special privileges for however long they decide to stay. After 90 days however if they are still with us we give them the option to become a full time employee and then they must fill out our HR paperwork and endure another 90 day probation period.

We had a girl a few months ago who spent her 90 days here under the wing of the temp agency, when offered to go full time she excepted and filled out the necessary paperwork. The next month she said she had come down with the flu and was gone for a few days, upon her return she announced she was pregnant about 3 months along. She was working in the fabrication shop with chemicals and heavy equipment and heavy lifting and her doctor advised her to find work elsewhere. She stayed for another month until she made the decision it was no longer safe for her and her baby. Although we did what we could to keep her safe ( respirator mask , no lifting ) she still had to preform the duties she said she could do on her application. She left on her own but if she had chosen to stay at the end of her 2nd 90 day probation period she could have legally been let go due to non performance as stated on application. She did get to file for unemployment benefits but she will only recive them until she gets another job. She will not be applicable for any other payments from our company.


I am not saying that not telling them was the wrong thing to do but since you knew before you took the job that you were pregnant and you were also told before they knew you were pregnant that you would be on a week to week basis I am almost positive that they would not be doing anything legally wrong if they let you go. But like I said earlier I am not sure how things differ between the US and UK so your temp agency may give you maternity pay or set you up to get government allowance.

EDIT* Just read previous post. Don't know how it works in every country but I do know in the US an employer cannot ask an applicant if she is pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant during the time she plans on working for the company as it violates numerous laws. Same thing as not being able to ask someone if they can pass a drug screen test and a background check.

im in new zealand
we dont ask them if they plan to get pregnant in the future but under the health and safety section of the interview we do ask if they are expecting one because if they lie on the application or contract we have evidence to back us up and two because alot of our work involves lifting, chemicals and constant standing, what the point of going for a job if you wont be able to do the tasks your hired for. since ive been with the company 10 years i can avoid those things and get someone else to do that.

 

[CS_and_bump]

I know in the uk they can't discriminate if u are pregnant. Although I had 3 interviews for the job and not at any stage did they ask if I was pregnant or was thinking of having a family. I understand if he wants to replace me but I just don't like hanging on I would prefer to know what's happening. X

 

[stucknthecity]

im in new zealand
we dont ask them if they plan to get pregnant in the future but under the health and safety section of the interview we do ask if they are expecting one because if they lie on the application or contract we have evidence to back us up and two because alot of our work involves lifting, chemicals and constant standing, what the point of going for a job if you wont be able to do the tasks your hired for. since ive been with the company 10 years i can avoid those things and get someone else to do that.

Like I said I am not sure how it works in every country but we have a similar section in our application process where they are to list any medical condition or reason why they would not be able to preform the duties requested of them. If they don't state in that section that they are pregnant than yes they will be accused of lying on the application. The reason we cannot ask if someone plans on becoming pregnant is because that is evasion of privacy. Once you make it past your 90 day probation period you can do whatever you want with your personal life no questions asked. In the US companies are not mandated to pay you maternity leave they just have to hold your position for 12 weeks. There are companies that pay you however or give you a portion of your income but they way most work is that you can use any available vacation time or sick leave in order to get a paycheck but the rest of the time you choose to take off during the 12 week period is unpaid. We do have to let them know if we plan on not returning after the 12 weeks is up by the 8th week of leave.