Pregnant at interview, telling employer whilst on probation?

I8A4RE

What happens to a candidate, who knows they are pregnant at interview, gets the job and has to say to new employer during probation period?

Can the employer serve notice at the end of probationary period to the pregnant employee?

Sorry if in wrong thread.

skallywag

Yes, being pregnant does not protect you from being let go after the notice period as far as I know.

The best way to deal with this in my book is to come clean with the new employer ASAP, though I would certainly be painting is as one found out after the interview.

Mrs OBumble

It's not clear-cut.

An employer can let an employee go at any time while they're still on probation (not just at the end).

However they cannot do for reasons including the big nine discrimination (age, sex, nationality, MOTC etc) or pregnancy.

Many employers are scared to let any probationary pregnant employee go, in case the employee claim it's due to the pregnancy (and in fairness, often it would be). But some (usually the thicker sort) aren't. And honest ones may let a known-to-be-pregnant employee go if they are certain they have a proveable, valid reason (eg "you said you have experience in X, but from your performance you clearly don't").

If an employer suspects that you're pregnant, but you haven't actually told them yet - and the pregnancy is an issue for them - then they might be inclined to let you go just in case. (If they don't officially know yet, then there's no way that you can prove it was due to pregnancy-discrimination.)

Be aware that some older women can pretty much sniff out when a woman is preggers. I don't know how they do it, but they do. Don't assume that just 'cos you haven't told, they don't unofficially know anyways.

_Brian

It's a tough call and really it will come down to how family friendly the workplace is towards staff. If they are accommodating they will take it in their stride. But If covering maternity is a big deal for them you could find your employment being terminated over some very petty performance issue during your probation. It's ****ty but definitely still happens.

Diziet

It can happen, but generally it does not. Just tell them soon after, keeping in mind that there will be some impact from your absence and come up with ays to make it easier for the employer. Yes, the employer can make up a reason to let you go, but it has to be very solid if they want to avoid a discrimination case.