Pregnancy & Job Interview

[homesick_american 1]

Your employer will hire you based on your professionalism. It's an illegal practice for them to use information unrelated to business to determine your employment.

Uh...consolemaster...they can always find a different reason to not give you the job.

[mybackpages 0]

I wouldn't tell them unless for some reason you believe that your pregnancy or the maternity leave will severely interfere with your ability to do your job.

[bostonparis 0]

I agree with Jomo's girl - I'd be honest. A woman that my company hired told us that she was pregnant a few weeks after she was hired, and she turned out to be the most dishonest, gossipy, backstabbing person I'd ever met. Ever since then I've always thought that someone who doesn't say something always has something else to hide.

[nyseness 0]

Whether you tell them or not, it will not affect your employment decision. It's an illegal practice for them to not employ you based on your pregnancy.

Yes, I am well aware of that. I am just curious to see other's opinions . I have friends who will debate about the situation all night and feel that SOME employers take pregnancy into consideration, and can use the excuse of being "overqualified" or "underqualified". The discrimination would be hard to prove. Thanks for your input.

Athough it is illegal for employers it's STILL being down. I work for a top fortune 500 co and I know it's been done at my job. As a matter of fact a co-worker of mines interviewed for a posititon while she was pregnant. The hiring manager told her they he liked her however, he couldn't give her the job b/c she was pregnant. At first she was ok w/it b/c she didn't know better but eventually someone told her she should report it so she did. After that she got a phone call telling her to start the following Monday. Miss Jones I wouldn't recommend you telling the employer you're pregnant. I wouldn't want to risk not being hired b/c the hiring manager is a pain in the a**. Just my opinion.

[William33 110]

Your employer will hire you based on your professionalism. It's an illegal practice for them to use information unrelated to business to determine your employment.

Perhaps, but the employer can choose to not hire you for any reason at all and not explain why. How many CV’s have you sent out without response? How many interviews have been conducted with a letter of rejection? In my case, very few, having changed jobs only twice in my adult life. Yet, this is a daily occurrence for many job seekers.

If you talk about pregnancy, likely you will not be hired, period. Why? The implied need for immediate benefits, with limited work or benefit contribution.

To the OP: Do yourself a favor and keep it to yourself!! Unless of course, you are below 1-2 months. Any other term position cannot be explained rationally, without inference of deception.

Edited April 21, 2007 by William33

[Otto 83]

I don't really know myself...it's a good question...most would keep it to themselves I suppose - of course it depends on the type of position too.

Do I have to tell potential employers I'm pregnant?

An employer cannot refuse to hire you because of your pregnancy-related condition as long as you are able to perform the major functions of your job. An employer cannot refuse to hire you because of its own prejudices against pregnant workers or the prejudices of co-workers, clients or customers. Therefore, an employer cannot ask you if you are pregnant or plan to have children.

If you are still early on in your pregnancy and not showing, you may choose to keep that information to yourself. Even if you volunteer the information or the employer is otherwise aware that you are pregnant, however, an employer cannot legally make hiring decisions based upon that information, but you should also recognize that it could be very difficult to prove that the reason you were not hired was because of your pregnancy.

Source

Facts About Pregnancy Discrimination

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act is an amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions constitutes unlawful sex discrimination under Title VII. Women affected by pregnancy or related conditions must be treated in the same manner as other applicants or employees with similar abilities or limitations.

Hiring

An employer cannot refuse to hire a woman because of her pregnancy related condition as long as she is able to perform the major functions of her job. An employer cannot refuse to hire her because of its prejudices against pregnant workers or the prejudices of co-workers, clients or customers.

Pregnancy and Maternity Leave

An employer may not single out pregnancy related conditions for special procedures to determine an employee's ability to work. However, an employer may use any procedure used to screen other employees' ability to work. For example, if an employer requires its employees to submit a doctor's statement concerning their inability to work before granting leave or paying sick benefits, the employer may require employees affected by pregnancy related conditions to submit such statements.

If an employee is temporarily unable to perform her job due to pregnancy, the employer must treat her the same as any other temporarily disabled employee; for example, by providing modified tasks, alternative assignments, disability leave or leave without pay.

Pregnant employees must be permitted to work as long as they are able to perform their jobs. If an employee has been absent from work as a result of a pregnancy related condition and recovers, her employer may not require her to remain on leave until the baby's birth. An employer may not have a rule which prohibits an employee from returning to work for a predetermined length of time after childbirth.

Employers must hold open a job for a pregnancy related absence the same length of time jobs are held open for employees on sick or disability leave.

Health Insurance

Any health insurance provided by an employer must cover expenses for pregnancy related conditions on the same basis as costs for other medical conditions. Health insurance for expenses arising from abortion is not required, except where the life of the mother is endangered.

Pregnancy related expenses should be reimbursed exactly as those incurred for other medical conditions, whether payment is on a fixed basis or a percentage of reasonable and customary charge basis.

The amounts payable by the insurance provider can be limited only to the same extent as costs for other conditions. No additional, increased or larger deductible can be imposed.

Employers must provide the same level of health benefits for spouses of male employees as they do for spouses of female employees.

Fringe Benefits

Pregnancy related benefits cannot be limited to married employees. In an all-female workforce or job classification, benefits must be provided for pregnancy related conditions if benefits are provided for other medical conditions.

If an employer provides any benefits to workers on leave, the employer must provide the same benefits for those on leave for pregnancy related conditions.

Employees with pregnancy related disabilities must be treated the same as other temporarily disabled employees for accrual and crediting of seniority, vacation calculation, pay increases and temporary disability benefits.

Soure

Edited April 21, 2007 by Karin und Otto

[William33 110]

Karin und Otto,

The link is #######. Why? Because the US employer can do as they wish, with respect to hiring. That is the reality.

There is zero accountability until you are through the door, as an employee. Prior to that, you are at the mercy of the hiring official, with nearly zero accountability whatsoever.

I don't really know myself...it's a good question...most would keep it to themselves I suppose - of course it depends on the type of position too.

Do I have to tell potential employers I'm pregnant?

An employer cannot refuse to hire you because of your pregnancy-related condition as long as you are able to perform the major functions of your job. An employer cannot refuse to hire you because of its own prejudices against pregnant workers or the prejudices of co-workers, clients or customers. Therefore, an employer cannot ask you if you are pregnant or plan to have children.

If you are still early on in your pregnancy and not showing, you may choose to keep that information to yourself. Even if you volunteer the information or the employer is otherwise aware that you are pregnant, however, an employer cannot legally make hiring decisions based upon that information, but you should also recognize that it could be very difficult to prove that the reason you were not hired was because of your pregnancy.

Source

Facts About Pregnancy Discrimination

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act is an amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions constitutes unlawful sex discrimination under Title VII. Women affected by pregnancy or related conditions must be treated in the same manner as other applicants or employees with similar abilities or limitations.

Hiring

An employer cannot refuse to hire a woman because of her pregnancy related condition as long as she is able to perform the major functions of her job. An employer cannot refuse to hire her because of its prejudices against pregnant workers or the prejudices of co-workers, clients or customers.

Pregnancy and Maternity Leave

An employer may not single out pregnancy related conditions for special procedures to determine an employee's ability to work. However, an employer may use any procedure used to screen other employees' ability to work. For example, if an employer requires its employees to submit a doctor's statement concerning their inability to work before granting leave or paying sick benefits, the employer may require employees affected by pregnancy related conditions to submit such statements.

If an employee is temporarily unable to perform her job due to pregnancy, the employer must treat her the same as any other temporarily disabled employee; for example, by providing modified tasks, alternative assignments, disability leave or leave without pay.

Pregnant employees must be permitted to work as long as they are able to perform their jobs. If an employee has been absent from work as a result of a pregnancy related condition and recovers, her employer may not require her to remain on leave until the baby's birth. An employer may not have a rule which prohibits an employee from returning to work for a predetermined length of time after childbirth.

Employers must hold open a job for a pregnancy related absence the same length of time jobs are held open for employees on sick or disability leave.

Health Insurance

Any health insurance provided by an employer must cover expenses for pregnancy related conditions on the same basis as costs for other medical conditions. Health insurance for expenses arising from abortion is not required, except where the life of the mother is endangered.

Pregnancy related expenses should be reimbursed exactly as those incurred for other medical conditions, whether payment is on a fixed basis or a percentage of reasonable and customary charge basis.

The amounts payable by the insurance provider can be limited only to the same extent as costs for other conditions. No additional, increased or larger deductible can be imposed.

Employers must provide the same level of health benefits for spouses of male employees as they do for spouses of female employees.

Fringe Benefits

Pregnancy related benefits cannot be limited to married employees. In an all-female workforce or job classification, benefits must be provided for pregnancy related conditions if benefits are provided for other medical conditions.

If an employer provides any benefits to workers on leave, the employer must provide the same benefits for those on leave for pregnancy related conditions.

Employees with pregnancy related disabilities must be treated the same as other temporarily disabled employees for accrual and crediting of seniority, vacation calculation, pay increases and temporary disability benefits.

Soure

[homesick_american 1]

Karin und Otto,

The link is #######. Why? Because the US employer can do as they wish, with respect to hiring. That is the reality.

There is zero accountability until you are through the door, as an employee. Prior to that, you are at the mercy of the hiring official, with nearly zero accountability whatsoever.

Very true. At my last job in Texas, I used to interview people and be in on hiring decisions. You should have heard some of the creative reasoning behind not hiring certain people.

OP: Don't tell anyone you're pregnant, but once they find out...don't be surprised if they find a good reason to fire you. Very little pisses off an employer more than hiring a pregnant woman who didn't say a word about it, and they'll remember it forever.

Is it REALLY necessary for you to change jobs?

Edited April 21, 2007 by homesick_american

[ace13 0]

Tell them.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Your pregnancy is none of a potential employers' business. They are not allowed to inquire about any such thing and you should not volunteer any such information either. In an interview, you discuss your qualifications and abilities as they relate to the position to be filled. A pregnancy has no place in an interview.

[Nessa 23]

I wouldn't say: hey, guess what? I'm pregnant, but if they asked me I'd say yes I am, even tho I am not obligated to give the information. The same reason I won't say ''btw I smoke'' or ''btw i have lots of tattoos'' but if they ask I'll tell the truth. Does that make me a liar? No, i'm still being honest.

If I were an employer with the chance to hire between two qualified people being that one of them is pregnant and the other isn't my decision between them would be way easier, i'd hire soomeone that wouldn't need a maternity leave in a few months. But hey, that's me.

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

Your pregnancy is none of a potential employers' business. They are not allowed to inquire about any such thing and you should not volunteer any such information either. In an interview, you discuss your qualifications and abilities as they relate to the position to be filled. A pregnancy has no place in an interview.

bingo!

[DeadPoolX 9]

I agree with Nessa.

This is a lot like being at Customs & Immigration or applying for health insurance -- in other words, you only answer the interviewing party's questions. Never volunteer information. That can get you into hot water fast, even if you're not pregnant.

While it's true that employers can't legally discriminate against women for being pregnant, they can come up with many different reasons for firing or not hiring them. I think every state (except Wyoming) allows employers to terminate their employees for practically any reason they choose. I say practically, because it's still illegal to discriminate based upon religion, race, gender or pregnancy. However, that doesn't mean people aren't discriminated against because of those reasons and told they are fired or not hired because of a totally different reason.

Interestingly enough, I don't believe there are any provisions stating it is illegal to refuse to hire someone based upon their height or weight or even looks. A company can claim that all of these are important to the job being applied for (this sometimes works with gender as well), so they can usually get away with it. I don't see how working in an office (for instance) it makes any difference, practically speaking, if you're 5'2" or 6'2" but people discriminate over all sorts of non-sensical things.

Back to subject... Most employers are not going to want to hire a woman who is pregnant. They just won't; this woman will cost them. Unless she's exceptionally qualified, then the chances of being hired while your future employer knows you're pregnant is slim-to-none. Having said that, they can still fire you for lying to them about being pregnant (although they'd make up a different reason) as well.

Basically, you need to apply for a job while not pregnant and only get pregnant after you've been working for a while at your current job, so you become a bit more valued there. If you're just starting off at a company, then you are -- for all intents and purposes -- extremely expendable.

I don't believe anyone has asked this yet, but what does this job entail? What will you be doing in it? The type of job may make a difference in whether or not an employer even considers a pregnant woman.

[lynamon 0]

I'll tell my story if it helps .... back ten years ago this may ..

I went to a job interview and was hired ... I started on a Tuesday and on the Thursday it was confirmed with my Dr's office that I was pregnant. I told my employer and because it was a small company that had never had to deal with someone being off on pregnancy leave .. he was considering letting me go because of silly excuses like not knowing how the computer monitors would effect the pregnancy due to radiation (unbelievable),

I looked him in the eye and told him (knowing that within a 3 month span they could fire me for whatever reason they wanted ... knowing that they could make it whatever reason that they wanted without making it look like it was discrimination) ... out of all of the people that you could have hired I'm the best. You will get a good nine months out of me and once I'm done my maternity leave I will be back and benefit his company.

Ten years later he's more than happy with the decision that he made ... and is figuring out a way that I can still work for his company once I move to the states.

I approached the situation head on .... hope this helps.

[Fandango 1,439]

I wouldn't tell them. For all the reasons stated in this thread.

Sidenote:: now I have that meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee annnnnnnnnnnnnnd Mrs...Mrs Jooooooooooones song in my head