Finding a Job While Pregnant

I think you should wait. They aren't supposed to discriminate but they do. I didn't get a job that I was very qualified for when I was pregnant and I found out it was because they were afraid of future medical expenses, etc from a friend. I'd wait just because they could be those type of people and you could miss a job that you could've had otherwise. Plus is maternity leave paid for by your company? After your all healed up and okay then you should look and get a job THEN quit :)

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They are not supposed to hold it against you, but they very well might, and it would seem to me that hanging in there until you have the baby, and then quitting, would make the most sense. If you did get a new job, you don't know how much time you'll be allowed off for maternity leave (would health insurance coverage be an issue too?). You can always start looking for a new job after the baby is born. It's only a few more months.

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I would absolutely wait until after the baby!! Finding a job at the moment is hard enough - especially for women... now add into the equation that you are 2nd trimester AND will not be staying long once they train you!

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My suggestion is that if you want a new job, wait until after the baby gets here. That way you don't have to worry about health care coverage.

When I was preggo with my second, I lost my job. I was 7 1/2 months pregnant and I didn't want to ruin my chances of working at a place after having the baby, so I started looking for work from opportunities. I have found two really great companies that I am having a blast working for! PM me if you would like some information about those. One I LOVE, but it does have a little bit of a start up cost, because you are an independent contractor. The other I just started but there are zero start up costs so no harm no foul if it doesn't work out.

Good luck!! I know how miserable it is to work at a place you can stand.

sure you can look-however isnt it more important to have job security until after the baby is born??

I know you're not happy now....but you ARE employed.
Why don't you just wait until the baby comes and use your time off to look for a different job?
You'll technically be currently employed which is always a plus. You'll have time to get your daycare arrangements in order for when it's time to go back to work (which you're going to have to do anyway) and you won't be explaining to a prospective employer why you'll need 6 weeks off, at least, a couple of months after hiring you.
I think you should stay where you're at. They already know what's ahead. (Except for you wanting to find another job). Start looking at good daycare options now, have your baby, go on maternity leave and be diligent about finding another job then.

That's just my opinion and I hope all works out well for you.

I got laid off 3 months before I got pregnant. I was on unemployment and job hunting from March 2010 through November 2010 before the mess with extending the benefits started. I didn't get called for an interview until November, and, while I was a cute pregnant lady, I was huge! The elevator door opened and my interviewer's eyes bugged out of his head.

Everyone I interviewed with gave me the same look and the entire 3 hours (which was miserable, by the way) was spent talking about my pregnancy no matter how hard I tried to steer it towards the job in question.

When I got home I told my husband about it and he told me he was fine with me becoming the CFO of our family if I was okay with that. (CFO = Chief Family Officer). I like this job the best and am enjoying being home with my little snuggle bunny!

You are right, it is against the law to discriminate and I am certain I would have come up against that with every job interview. I just didn't have it in me to pursue anything of it.

Good luck to you on your job hunt and with your new arrival this fall!

I would stay where you are to continue to get paid, but research, make connections. Find companies you want to work for, use linkedin.com to find out who the people are in the departments you want to work in. Send your resumes/cover letters directly to them. If you're working, go on maternity leave, etc, all of what Shane B. said. Also, think about what your passion is as well; perhaps you can start a business, or find a position doing that kind of thing. Good luck!

A close friend and I are about a month apart in our pregnancies. We both left our company and she decided to look for work right as she entered her 2nd trimester. She waited until an offer was extended and then advised her future employer she was expecting (she wasn't showing at this point.) The way it will work for her based on FMLA law is that she is ineligible for paid maternity leave as she will have been working less than one year. So she will 'quit' and then be rehired after they agree on a certain amount of time off for her to be home. They are not legally obligated to keep her job. The FMLA 'rules' are something you might want to factor into your decision.

If you get a new job, it could take a month for your medical benefits to kick in and might require 3 months of work before you can take time off. How does that figure into your prenatal care and maternity leave?

I'd say try to stick it out where you are. It's only a few more months. Accumulate your paid days off, and take advantage of the health benefits. THEN when you're closer to delivering, start hunting for something so you'll have options instead of returning to the current job after maternity leave.

HTH
T.

No harm at all in looking. Even if you don't get an offer, there's much to learn about companies while doing a job search.