This is a spin off from the other thread. I just wondered what you guys though about always being honest. If you are going for a job interview and just found out you were pregnant. Would you tell? Or wait and see if yo got the job first and then tell them a little later? Is honesty always the best policy?
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After having been faced with blatant pregnancy discrimination, I would never ever be honest again. I was able to switch jobs (in the same company) and hid it until 1 month before I went out on maternity leave.
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Yes I would always be honest. Honestly if I company isn't going to hire me because I'm pregnant I probably don't want to work there anyway since they aren't likely to be understanding of the demands of motherhood in the future.
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From an HR perspective, it's really not appropriate to bring up your pregnancy during an interview, so I don't see that situation as lying. It's really most appropriate to bring up accomodation issues during the neg9otiation/contract-signing phase of the recruitment.
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It would depend, for me. Since I plan to be a SAHM for the first few years, I wouldn't start a new job with a long training period or anything while pregnant, because, what's the point? But, if it was for something part time that I planned to continue after I had the baby (like the original poster was) I would not tell them, right away. I'd be afraid of exactly what happened to her. I think during salary negotiations is a good time to bring it up, right?
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@Honeybee: I think it would be tough to bring up pregnancy during contract signing, if the issue already came up in the interview and you mentioned not being pregnant?
It's a no win situation for both employer and employee, I think!
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@mrbee: Well, by law employers are not allowed to bring up pregnancy/family plans in an interview, so unless the applicant specifically says in the interview "Just to let you know, I'm not pregnant," this wouldn't be an issue.
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@Honeybee: I wouldn't say anything from this standpoint. I don't think an interview is the place to discuss personal things like, can I leave at 4 pm everyday to go pick up my kids, or I will need FMLA time in a few months because I'm pregnant, or hey, I have a per-existing medical condition and need major surgery in a few months.
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@Honeybee: Ah ok, wasn't sure what you meant by it not being lying since it's kind of bound to come up later.
In any case, I read somewhere that those laws only apply in the US to employers with 15 or more employees? Could be wrong though!
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I was interviewing when I found out I was pregnant.
I could have stayed at the job I was at, even though I was pretty miserable.... but had been trying to find a new job for a while. So, I met everyone, then heard that they wanted to hire me, and before the next round of interviews in person, I called the guy who would be my boss, let him know I just found out I was pregnant (I was only 6 weeks!) and it was a bit awkward, but I wanted to be upfront as I definitely wanted time off.
They really appreciated the honesty, and ended up hiring me - even though I told them I would only come & work here if they gave me 12 weeks off (since i wouldn't have qualified for the FMLA because it would have been less than a year)....
I was lucky though because I could have just stayed at the old job --- honestly, starting a new position pregnant wasn't ideal, and it's strange that I've been pregnant the whole time getting to know everyone, but I've been working hard & trying to prove myself, and it's been going well!
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@mrbee: This is true. Questions about disabilities, medical conditions (like pregnancy) etc... are illegal to ask under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but it only applies to all public sector agencies and private sector companies with 15 or more employees.
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I go back and forth on this one. I wasn't pregnant when I interviewed but found out I was pregnant shortly after starting. Family plans are out of bounds for an interviewer to ask and I didn't really plan on talking about my sex life during the interview.
But it was the worst experience and it's an experience that just won't go away. I ended up leaving since they made it clear I was unwanted once I told them about the pregnancy but then they had the balls to fire someone else who was pregnant and didn't leave by their numerous hints. It's just plain illegal but unfortunately not always easy to prove. So I donno, part of me wants to know in the future what attitude a place has but another part of me thinks let me do the job before someone makes rash judgement, so I should wait to tell.
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I've actually been told by HR people at large firms that they don't even want to know that you are pregnant because then if they don't give you the job for reasons related or unrelated, it gives you grounds to bring up discrimination in a lawsuit. So i wouldn't say anything if I were pregnant and interviewing, but it is a case-by-case basis. For smaller firms, they might appreciate your honesty. For larger firms, they don't want the liability of knowing.
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I would never reveal a pregnancy during a job interview. Like PPs have said, in most cases, it's illegal for them to ask about.
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