New job offer and pregnant - help please!

[SEJ]

Hi there,

This is the first time I've posted on this forum, but I could really do with some advice.

I was made redundant about 2 months ago - just about the same time I conceived... I'm now 9 weeks and have just been offered my dream job. What does everybody think I should do about telling my new employers?

I understand legally I don't have to say anything until I am 15 weeks, but I wouldn't like to do this as it would strike me as starting under false pretences. I'm due to start work next week - when I'll be almost 11 weeks.

Any advice/thoughts would be gratefully received! Thanks

 

How do you think the company would take the news? if you weren't comfortable telling them straight away, leav eit a week or so and then say you have just found out perhaps?

Sorry I can't help more but good luck with your pregnancy!

 

[Minxy]

I'd be tempted to start then act dumb and pretend you didn't know until late??

You may want to check out maternity entitlement as I'm not sure if you're entitled to anything should you start a job whilst pregnant?

I do sympathise. I was made redundant last September, found a new job October and got pregnant just 3 weeks later (completely unplanned!). The slight overlap means I DO get maternity benefits but have to be honest and say it's gone down with my employers llike a granny on a frosty morning!

Is it a big company? I find you sometimes get a better deal than with a family-led company (like mine!)

 

[Hedgey]

in order for you to get most companies mat pay you have to have a certain about of time with them before your 15th week, not that you have to tell them by your 15th week

hope this helps a bit

 

[SEJ]

Thanks for your advice everyone. I'm due to start next Thursday, so I think I'll phone them after the weekend and let them know in advance - I might shave a few weeks off my due date to soften the blow though.

It would be a bummer not to get maternity pay, but I still have most of my redundancy pay out, so not a disaster.

Thanks again!

 

You may not maternity pay from your employer bu you will get Maternity allowance from the govenment.

This link here will help you to see if you qualify
it's £106 a week for 26 weeks if you have worked for 26 weeks of the 66 weeks before your due date. Part weeks (like if you worked one or a few days a week) are still counted as a whole week! I got it as I was a temporary worker and couldn't get SMP (6 weeks at 90% pay and 20 weeks at £100 a week).

I hope that helps! xx