Working...when to tell the boss?

[Guest guest]

Hi guys,

I know I havent posted much I am more of a lurker!! I have a

question, I am 9 weeks pregnant and just started a great job about a

month ago ( found out my second week here). I plan to work during and

after my pregnancy but I am scared to tell anyone. Does anyone have

any suggestions of when to drop the news? Can I get fired for it?

Also in my handbook it says to qualify for maternity leave you have

to have worked here for 12 months which apparently I will not have

does that mean I will not qualify for a maternity leave? I am so

confused.. any advice will be very appreciated

in Boston

285 pre op

138 16 mos post op

9 weeks preg w/#3

[Guest guest]

,

Most people tell their employer around 12 weeks. Its totally a

personal decision. I have had friends wait until it was obvious and

after they have gotten excellent job evaulations, because you'd want

to be able to prove that you were an excellent employee and were fired

b/c you were pg. You didn't mention what kind of work you do. Would it

interfere with your job in anyway?

The 12 month thing just means that you can take maternity leave, it

just will be unpaid leave of absence, and you should be entitled to

have off 12 weeks per FMLA guidelines.

This is just MY experience. Your co-workers that you trust or your

handbook should be able to help you more. If you had been with them

for 12 months before getting pg, they would have had to pay your

regular monthly/bi-weekly salary while you stayed home and took it

easy (yeah right! lol)

and lastly, it is illegal to get fired for being pregnant, unless it

specifically states in your job description that you cannot be

pregnant and do your specified duties. Thats why I said wait til you

start showing so you get good evals before you tell them as backup proof.!

(sorry to always be thinking with a negative mind. lol )

[Guest guest]

:

I am in the same boat!! I started working for the law firm I work

for in June, became pregnant in July! Since Missouri is an " at

will " state, they can fire you if they don't like the color of your

eyes. Most employers now days however, realize that women become

pregnant and people have families. I would check with your state

Labor Department regarding your rights.

I did not want to tell my employer until after the first trimester.

Since you never know, God forbid, although you can miscarry at

anytime, the first trimester is generally when it's going to

happen. I just told my employer this week - since I am 41 years

old, and have a 15 year old and a 20 year old, mostly they giggled a

lot.

Unfortunately I will not qualify for leave or vacation time since I

will be a couple of months short of 1 year, however, look into the

short term disability program your company offers - since it is

provided by your insurance carrier, it may not be tied to your time

at work. Some states also offer short term disability.

By the way, the current choice for a girl name is Sophie Elyse.

Boy is Aiden Quinn

Ellen

RNY: 11/05/02

Due: 04/09/05

SNIP: <lisa02169@m...> wrote:

I have a

> question, I am 9 weeks pregnant and just started a great job about

a

> month ago ( found out my second week here). I plan to work during

and

> after my pregnancy but I am scared to tell anyone. Does anyone

have

> any suggestions of when to drop the news? Can I get fired for it?

> Also in my handbook it says to qualify for maternity leave you

have

> to have worked here for 12 months which apparently I will not have

> does that mean I will not qualify for a maternity leave? I am so

> confused.. any advice will be very appreciated

>

[Guest guest]

I just told my employer this week - since I am 41 years old, and have a

15 year old and a 20 year old, mostly they giggled a lot.

LOL, I know what you mean, sort of my DD is only 5 so I can't relate the

the age gap thing. My DH is 43 and I am 40 (will be 41 within a month

of this birth). I have gotten a lot of " Are you nuts? " and " Why? "

responses. I don't care, sometimes I am nuts and wonder what was I

thinking, but most of the time I am so excited I can't contain myself.

Tricia - 10/23/03 WLS 296/218/150

mommy to Alyssa 11-12-99 and ?? due 06/07/05

[Guest guest]

FMLA law states they have to give you up to 12 weeks off (it doesn't

state it has to be paid) and have your job or an equivalent waiting for

you when you come back. This is not the same as maternity leave, as any

family medical emergency or problem qualifies. I recommend you talk to

your HR person first, as they " should " discuss this confidentially with

you to help you know what your rights are. As far as when you tell our

boss and co-workers that is a personal decision. Use your judgment as

to how your think he/she would take this news, are they a family

oriented person or do they seem anti family?

Personally I am comfortable with my boss and have already told him, but

then again I have worked for the same " company " for 18 years so I don't

have that problem. My issue is I just got my leave back to a positive

balance and will not be able to build enough leave up before my due date

(assuming I am not put on bed-rest a month early like last time). I

work for the government and they do not have maternity leave or

short-term disability, so you either use your leave or leave without

pay. They do have a " leave bank " that if you belong and have a

qualifying medical problem, you can get donations from the bank or other

employees. But I do not think pregnancy qualifies, unless you have

complications (and I am not sure about that).

Tricia - 10/23/03 WLS 296/218/150

[Guest guest]

I had just started a new job when I got pregnant with my first child. No you

do not qualify for a 12 week maternity leave. But you will get 6 weeks

unpaid. I was lucky because the company I worked for you recieved 3 weeks

vaction

after only 6 months so I was able to get 3 weeks paid with vacation time. I

would wait till you are in atleast your second trimester to bring up the

pregnancy. To many things can happen early in pregnancy. Good luck.

Meridth

Wife to Larry (02/22/02)

Mother to Forrest (01/21/01)

Expecting #2 02/14/05

Gastric ByPass 02/23/04

370/268pg/175 goalweight

[Guest guest]

I do not think you will be paid for any leave so thats

going to be hard.

I would not tell anyone at the job untill you can not

hide it any longer. Being new I do not think they will

hold your job.

[Guest guest]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I am going to wait a bit longer to

tell!! I am having an u/s on the 8th and will decide then when to tell.. Oh

I work for a patient assistance program for chemotherapy drugs. My job is

really great and the people here are great too.. I did just find out that

the receptionist who just left for her 12 week mat. leave was only here 6

mos and will be back in January. They hired her pregnant so I feel a bit

more comfortabe. Thank you all again though for your replies and advice.