K.D.
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Jacksonville
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Your boss first, then HR
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I just found out I'm pregnant, so I've got some time before I tell work (at least until I've been to the doctor, for example) so that's not my question. My question is, who do I inform? When I was pregnant before, my direct supervisor was also the HR Administrator at the company, so I didn't have to think about it, I just informed her and we worked everything out. But now my direct supervisor is the company controller. Do I inform him first, or do I inform the HR Admin first? I know I'll have to talk to HR at some point, because she'll have to tell me how to get the ball rolling on the short term disability for my maternity leave. But who do I inform first? We're a really small company. (I just wanted to add that this is not the same company I worked for before.)
Thanks, guys! I was pretty sure I should tell my supervisor first, but I just wanted to make sure. We're a really small office, so pretty much as soon as I tell him everyone will know.
Gamma G: It doesn't affect my work, exactly, but it does affect the parts of the building I can go in. I work in the office of a manufacturing plant and there are chemicals and things that I will not be able to be around. I will probably need to tell them earlier than I would like because of that.
And, yes the STD does cover maternity, which is awesome and one of the reasons I was happy to find this job, knowing that I wanted to have one more baby before I was finished.
Your boss first, then HR
I would start with your boss then go to HR. Your boss might be hurt if you went to HR first.
I don't understand why you have to tell anyone at work. How does it effect your ability to do your job?
If it's so they can start planning for your absence then I guess I understand why they'd need 7-8 months to find someone to do your job while you're off....I guess I never had to inform anyone about my personal life until it was time to plan for someone to work temporarily for me.
I agree with everyone else. You inform your immediate supervisor first. Then you talk to HR. It's the courteous thing to do, since it will be your supervisor who will have to figure out how to have your responsibilities covered while you are out.
Talk to your boss and then HR. Also, make sure what your benefits are regarding maternity. Not all companies have STD and some STD policies do not cover maternity. This company could have different benefits since its not the same company you worked with before. Congratulations!
You tell HR. You do not have to tell your supervisor/manager until it's time to request leave (to have the baby) or have real conversation about who'll do your work in your absence. Telling your manager before then is merely a courtesy, the value of which only you can determine. You can walk around with a big, fat belly and swollen other parts for as long as you'd like and have no obligation to say a word about it to another soul.
Tell your immediate supervisor first. Tell them only when you are comfortable with the whole office knowing as well, but make sure you tell around the time you start showing if you don't want people guessing. I told mine fairly early...I was high risk, had TONS of OB appts, and because of the nature of my job my daily duties were adjusted, plus it took months to work out how my work load was to be redistributed. HR needs to know about a planned leave, but there's nothing for them to work out, you just have your OB sign a form and you decide on a date.
Start with your immediate boss and then HR. Be prepared to let the whole crew know soon as the secret won't be kept for long. We have two ladies at my job that are pregnant right now and they both waited until the first trimester passed and then told our immediate boss and then the whole group. I suspected both of them because I could tell that little baby bumps were growing and it was just obvious to me and a few others. So....we knew but we didn't know. Congratulations and welcome to the world of the working mommies!
