Mention Pregnancy at Job Interview???

If you are desperate for a job bc otherwise you will be out on the street soon I would not say anything. But if that's not the case, I would tell them. If I hired someone who knew she was pregnant and didn't tell me, I may not be able to fire her but I would be really mad and it would not be a good working relationship after that. Pregnancy and leave takes a lot of time away from a job and it's just not fair to an employer to start off like that unless they're ok with it. It would forever tarnish my relationship with that worker. Sorry and I know it sucks but that's how I would feel.

Nope. Get hired first, then tell them.

It is illegal for them not to hire you because you are pregnant, but there is no way to prove that is the reason. So don't mention it, as it has no legal relevancy. (It is also illegal for them to ask if you are pregnant.) if you get the job, then you can let them know and make proper arrangements then.

No... only mention after you've been hired. Otherwise you won't be hired usually..
true, they can't not hire because of pregnancy, but it happens all the time.

No!
As someone who does hiring, I would hate if is someone told me this during an interview. Because now this potential employee has put me in the uncomfortable position of having information that 1) I'm not supposed to have or consider and 2) that opens me up to a potential lawsuit if I decide, for completely legitimate reasons, to choose a different applicant.

Therefore, I would consider it unprofessional because it puts the business you want to work for at risk. If I hire you, what other decisions might you make that put the business at risk?

If you don't disclose at the interview but are hired, I would appreciate knowing as soon as you started the job so I could plan how to handle your leave.

i'm always taken aback by how many people suggest that you hide this important fact, and use legality as the reason.
yes, it's not supposed to be factored in, and the reasoning for it makes sense to a degree.
but businesses have rights too, and like it or not, pregnancies and time off for babies is very disruptive. i think they have the right to decide if they're up for it or not. if you're wonderful, you just might be worth it to them. and yeah, it's fact that most places prefer that you be there long enough to prove your wonderfulness before they're forced to accommodate the gap in the workload.
there's no way i'd feel okay with springing this on them after the fact. but you're not legally required to share it if you don't want to.
khairete
S.

Legally, you do not have to.

I took a more moderate approach. I interviewed first, got into the negotiations phase and then mentioned it once all of the details had been hashed out BUT before saying yes I am taking the job. I didn't want my prospective employer feeling duped which could lead to long term ill will. I believe this approach worked well BUT you are not legally obligated to say one word. Also it gave me a real chance to test the company's family friendliness. It's easy to talk family friendly but it's a whole different matter to actually be family friendly. I didn't want to work for a company that was going to turn me down/overlook me for pregnancy. That's not the type of place I want to work. Finally it gave me a chance to talk maternity leave with my prospective employer. FMLA didn't apply for me so I was faced with a short maternity leave with almost no pay. All aspects I wanted to know well in advance as going without several weeks of pay is difficult on any budget.

P.S. I waddled into an interview at seven months pregnant. The topic wasn't even mentioned so believe me when I say you legally don't have to say anything no matter how physically obvious it may be. For the record I was given an offer so not all employers are scared off by pregnant women (future mothers). Good luck.

P.P.S. You need an employer who is going to be understanding and not grudingly. You are going to have many appointments while pregnant and then you'll have frequent appointments with your baby. I worked for a place which was family friendly and it made a world of difference. In contrast my husband's employer wasn't family friendly and he was being penalized every time our kids were sick. It added unneccesary stress.

Doesn't actually matter because an employer thinks if you can get pregnant you can be pregnant. They can't ask so they go with a blanket assumption that you could so if it is a position that they can't afford to fill with a temp they may not offer it. Thing is you already work for them so they would not offer you an interview unless they could.

In my opinion you would be better off being honest with them because you cannot erase their memory. What I mean is your job is secure, you may get the transfer but in the future if another transfer or promotion comes up, at that point you may not be pregnant but they are going to remember you kept that from them and treat you as if you are. In other words there is no law protecting you from an employer holding something against you.

Okay, am I the only one who saw she already works for this company and is interviewing for a transfer? "OUR court house office" She already works for this company, huge difference don't you think? Either way she is going to tell this employer she is pregnant.

I agree with Mynewnickname 100% as another HR person who does the hiring.

Absolutely wait until the offer. Then it's up to you to decide if you tell them or not. You cannot discriminate because of pregnancy. That is the law. But I would tell them after an offer but before acceptance.

And don't worry about insurance. Worst case scenario is that you will have to switch doctors. And you can fight that one big time.

Oh my gosh, I about had a heart attack when I read the subject line. Never disclose a pregnancy during a job interview. Even if you were visibly pregnant and looked ready to give birth the interviewer isn't even allowed to ask about a pregnancy, whether you have children, are planning children, how any children you have would affect your job, if you're married, engaged, or anything like that. It's illegal.

Due to anti-discrimination laws you ARE NOT EVER OBLIGATED to reveal a pregnancy. It absolutely must remain out of the interview process that you're pregnant and there's no reason for it to be brought up. Only the merits of your job skills should ever go into the interview. Bringing up a pregnancy, even if it's in the very beginning, sets up some really serious issues for the interviewer because they could refuse to hire you based on a pregnancy and then not tell you... but a lot of people will bring it up, not get hired for a legitimate reason and then try to sue to interviewer claiming discrimination.

You have an obligation to refrain from saying anything. If anyone ever asks you, even with a belly sticking out three feet, you say, "I'm sorry but I don't think that's legally allowed as an interview question. What's your next question please?" Then you move on and if they pursue that line of questioning then you end the interview.

EDIT: I'm an employment specialist in my current job. I'm also an advocate for people that have disabilities. I know what I'm talking about here. I'm relieved you didn't mention the pregnancy in the first interview, and you SHOULD NOT mention it in the second either. You NEVER MENTION it until after you're visibly showing and you're already working for them.

It sounds like a good offer even if it pays less... you have better benefits and insurance. Now just hope morning sickness doesn't kick in if you have a second interview. ;-)

I would've mentioned it. I understand the reasoning for not mentioning it, but to me it sets a negative tone with an employer. They cannot NOT hire you because you are pregnant, but if you have worked for them for less than a year, they don't have to hold your job for you while out on maternity leave.

I'll share my story..I gradudated college applied at a hospital was about 4.5 months pregnant with my 2nd child. Went through the enterview twice, got offered the job started working NEVER said anything about been pregnant obviously they're not going to hire you.. that means they'll need to look for a replacement in 6 months or less.. with training the company just isnt going to find it beneficial. Anyway, my manager didnt know til about a month after i started was about 5.5 months at that time and showing. there were no problems at all. She was totally fine with it. Good luck.

Proper protocol would dictate you don't tell them until or unless there is a bonifide job offer on the table and you are in the negotiating stage.

I agree with others who said if you tell them during the interview process you put them in a tricky situation and they may consider you as having alterior motives in this law suit ridden country we live in if they don't hire you.

If you are already working you may be better served staying put for the benefits, I know of people who had a problem with insurance and already existing conditions (pregnancy being one of them).

I would go on the interview and give it my best shot and take it from there. They may not make you an offer then it's kind of a mute point.

Don't tell. I interviewed at 3 months and didn't tell my employer. I didn't tell them until I was 5 months and unable to hide it anymore.

They cannot ask you about your pregnancy, if you are pregnant or if you plan on becoming pregnant - by FEDERAL LAW...they cannot fire you due to pregnancy either and they cannot NOT hire you because you are pregnant.

You are NOT required to mention the pregnancy.

You go in. You give it your best shot and compete for the position face-to-face...not just off a resume. Your resume got you in the door. Now it's time for you to razzle dazzle them!!

good luck!

I know I am too late, but I felt compelled to respond. Just something to think about... What if you were the employer and you had an interview and THEY DID NOT tell you that they were pregnant. You hired them, you spent time and money to train them and then in a few months they said, oh by the way, I'm pregnant, I will need maternity leave or I am leaving or whatever. Imagine what you as the employer would be feeling. Just food for thought. Do unto others...

I see you did not mention it. That is good. They are legally obligated to NOT take your pregnancy into account, and if you had told them and then they didn't hire you, it would put them in an awkward position because they knew and you could sue them saying they knew and that's why they didn't hire you, even if it had nothing to do with it.

I'm glad you didn't mention it. I have been in the same position...job interview at 3 months pregnant. I was offered the job and didn't tell them until I was 6 months. It was my first child so it wasn't too hard to hide. Then when I was pregnant with my second, my cousin, who is a HR Director told me NOT to tell my boss until AFTER I had my review (it was a different employer). Good luck with your job search/new job.

You don't have to mention it. It is your personal business and none of theirs. They cannot ask you either.

They can't not hire you because your pregnant. If you have yet to tell your family and friends wait. Especially if it's a job where you won't be doing a lot of heavy lifting and such.

I know you've already had the interview, but for anyone else in the same dilemma, I wouldn't say anything. It only gives them a reason to discriminate even though that's illegal.

I know you didn't mention it, but I agree not to. I didn't tell my company that I worked at for several years til I was about 4 months along. You will have to fill out paperwork by your 6th month, so don't wait til then to inform the boss. If you get hired, then negotiate when you need to. Friend got a job about as far along as you, and when the time came, negotiated a shorter (and somewhat unpaid) leave. I think she was really only out for 4 weeks, which is kind of crazy but it's what she had to do. Thankfully her MIL was able to be in town til her DD was old enough for daycare.

Just throwing this into the mix, my full time employer cut my hours within a week of finding out I was pregnant. I told him about it, didn't see any reason not to...how naïve that was!! Anyway, my hours got cut to the point that I was forced to quit. He told me that business was too slow, he had to make some changes. I was one of their hardest working and most knowledgeable employees! After I left that job, I applied and interviewed for the same position elsewhere. I was very obviously showing when I went in for the interview, didn't get hired, I know that my pregnancy was why. It is illegal to discriminate, but it still happens! I hope things work out for you, wanted to throw in my experience! Good luck :)

Legally you don't have to. But I think if it were me I'd let them know when your due. I'd like to not have that surprise pop out in a couple of weeks after they've spent time training you.

Illness can happen at any time and people have family emergencies that take them away from their jobs sometimes. Those are obviously not planned.

I have seen what happens when a person is hired, they start showing a couple of weeks later, then in a few months the company is having to run an ad, hire a new person who's trying to find a job to support their own family, then in 6 weeks the new mom comes in and expects their job back, same shift, same benefits, same everything.

The company just hired a new person and they simply can't afford 2 people for the same position. So they give you crappy hours, they make you work the overnight shift or take on accounts no one else will take because they're too hard. They make you miserable so you'll quit.

This happened to my daughter 2 times. One place she was pregnant when she was hired to work the front desk of a hotel. Days, 10am-6pm, M-F, good pay, lots of benefits especially working for a national name, the discounts and freebies were enormous. After she came back they put her working something like midnight to 7am. No child care, no full time benefits or perks, nothing but a paycheck that wasn't as much as before. She had to quit within a few weeks due to having to leave a newborn and her other kids with anyone she could find that would watch them for pennies per hour. No child care benefits if the care provider isn't a licensed child care provider that takes Sooner Care child care pay.

Then she got pregnant after working at a place for a year. Worked 6pm-2am. Had full child care for those hours, had an apartment and vehicle, barely making ends meet with food stamps and child care assistance and low income subsidy on her rent but making it.

After the baby was born they switcher her to part time because they had "filler her position" when she took a leave of absence. She was maybe working 15 hours per week at that point. She had to quit and go back to stripping to keep her apartment and car.

So not telling a prospective employer and giving them an out in case someone else who is equally desirable is just the right thing to do in my opinion.