When Do You Tell a Prospective Employer That You Are Pregnant?

How it is dishonest? Laws exist to protect you from being discriminated against, which is why employers cannot outright ask you the question. That's the whole point of the law. Why would you think that you need to offer this information up to them, if they are not allowed to ask? Once you tell them, if they are not the most moral folks, they could simply choose someone else in the running. In this market, there are always other qualified people in the running. Allow the law to protect you against discrimination. On a side note, someone at my company was in the same situation as you, and she didn't tell, and she's in the HR department! She knows the laws. Take the tip from her. :-)

I would absolutely not say anything! In fact, I'd wait until I had worked for 20 days... in IL you can collect unemployment if they let you go after you've worked for 20 days (not including days off). If they can prove that you intentionally messed up at the job, then you might not get unemployment. Otherwise, after 20 days if they don't like that you're pregnant and make up a bogus reason to release you, at least you can collect unemployment while you're looking for another job.

hi S.! first of all congrats what an exciting time...pregnant and interviewing for a new position. :) i'm in human resources so i can tell you that legally they can't make a decision on your employment based on your pregnancy. with that said...i still wouldn't tell them until you have an offer. i've come across this several times...it happens more than you think! i think the managerss would have doubts if you were to tell them in the interview, but if you wait until you have an offer they have to respect the fact that you are letting them know ahead of time. and if they act angry about it...then you probably don't want to work for them anyway. ;o) good luck!!!!

I do not think you should have to tell them anything at first. Let them offer you the job. If you cannot do the job because you are pregnant then I suppose you could let them know.But don't cut your own throat so to speak. If you fell and broke your leg you wouldn't have know that was going to happen-they cannot let you go. They can give you some time to heal. If you had a stroke they still let you stay. My sister had a stroke and a heart attack - both unplanned for and she is at her job as a school counselor noless and she is fine. You are not supposed to be hired for how you look, what your condition is and with a predictable life circumstance so... Unless you are trying to get a job as a lifeguard or a construction worker, if your job will only be affected by the fact that you are having a baby (something that has happened to many women with jobs over the years) I would wait it out unless they say Hey you look very pregnant will that affect your job? And that I believe is illegal.

This is not something that should be disclosed in the interview. When you get the job, you can tell them shortly after, even up to several months if you dont show that you are pregnant. The pregnancy has nothing to do with the job. It is also not being dishonest by not telling them. Personal things like this should not be discussed in an interview. You are there to talk about your job skills and how well you will perform your job duties.

Don't tell them! You need an even playing field with the other candidates and if you do you'll never know if they would have given you the job otherwise. People are clever at coming up with other more legal reasons they did not hire someone. People who have been with an employer for some time don't always tell them this early, so I don't think it's a bad thing.
There's a reason prospective employers are not legally allowed to ask about that stuff during the interview process. Let's face it, in another situation, someone could get pregnant immediately after being hired and it wouldn't be that different which is why it used to be so difficult for women of child bearing age to get hired.
Good luck!

I wouldn't tell them until you have started the job. If you tell them now, it will likely play into their decision-making even though it shouldn't. It is illegal for them to fire you for being pregnant and they are not allowed to ask you about it at the interview or any questions regarding plans for family etc. Prepare for the question that is sometimes a way to get this information "tell me about yourself" - prepare an answer that relates to your work life not your home life and your desire for this particular job as it relates to your prior work etc etc.

I wouldn't say anything until after a job offer has been made. They are not allowed to ask if you are married, have children, etc, so it is not their business in an interview to know you are expecting either. But once an offer has been made I would let them know. They cannot rescind the offer, but you are then being upfront with them as they become your new employer.

Legally you are not obligated to tell your prospective employeer that you are pregnant. In this job market I would hesitate to do so, as it could be a factor in you not getting the job. Wait until you are hire on. They legally cannot penalize you for not informing them prior to employment.

PS- Years ago I was also in this predicament. About a month after I was hired I informed my manager. All was well.

You do not have to tell them, and I wouldn't, if you want the job. It's called discrimination, and though illegal, they will still do it.

legally, you are not bound to tell them and they cannot ask about your health, or plans for having children. plus, if they make you the offer, they can't take it away because you are pregnant.

I was in the same position, only I was 5 months pregnant. I interviewed for a job that I really wanted and was honest, told them I was pregnant and when I was due. It was in the medical field, so I had scrubs on and they couldn't tell I was pregnant. After I told them they came straight out and told me they couldn't hire me because they already had 2 other girls in the same department that would be on maternity leave around that time and I did not get the job, so much for honesty! This is a tough call, because you are so early on, honestly I wouldn't tell them, but this is based on my previous experience! Good luck!!

hi S.,
Do not listen to the two who say to tell the employer. I am in HR. Legally they can not ask you that for your protection. If you tell them you are putting them in a very awkward position because they know something they shouldn't. This has nothing to do with honesty. Obviously if you get the job you're going to tell them. This has everything to do with legality. Usually you'll be asked a question on an application as to if can physically do the job. If you can do this job while pregnant, then you're fine. If you can't do the job while pregnant (or with any other physical issue) then you would have to disclose that.

you are asking the question...you already know the answer

Be careful starting a new job and being pregnant. My niece started a new job and became pregnant 2 months later. When she told them they explained they would have to let her go after she delivered, because she had not been with the company for 12 months and did not qualify for maternity leave. This is in their handbook. As for FMLA, it also states that it applies after 12 months of employment. Check with them as to what their policy is for maternity leave. I even checked my nieces short term disability policy and it also applies after 12 months... It may save you a lot of grief to be upfront now.........
Good luck...

I was pregnant and interviewing for jobs. I completely agree with the HR person. Legally the company has no right to know this information, and could use this information against you. If you are equal with another candidate, and they know you are pregnant, they may most likely give the job to the other person. Tell them after you are hired and on the job. The job I took had phone interviews and not in person interviews. I showed up very pregnant on the first day of the job.

Get a plan in place for how your work could be covered while you are out, how long you expect to be out, and how you expect to transition back into the office. (These are a bit more difficult to answer if this is your first child). That's what I did. I told my manager my delivery date, I expected to be out for 6 weeks only, had child care already planned for, and said I would work up until I delivered. And that's what happened.

At my company, short term disability is used for delivery, not a separate maternity leave program. You can ask these questions of your new employer after you're hired, and there may be a benefits number to call and you don't have to talk to your manager about it first. Find out this information, then talk to your manager about what your plans are and work together on a plan.

Best of luck.

Dont tell. They don't know you well enough yet to evaluate that information.

I was looking for a job during my last pregnancy & was told point blank by headhunters to not even bother. Legally you can't be discriminated against, but they can always simply say another candidate was better. I also agree with the other posts (and actually a headhunter told me this as well) that if you don't tell them, you're starting your relationship with the company with dishonesty, and this could come back on you later.
I know it's hard - when you're adding a new person to your household, you absolutely need more money. Good luck!

I would tell them because you don't want to start out your new job being dishonest. They need to know what duties you will be capable of performing. Also it is against the law for them not to hire you just because you are pregnant unless the job has specific requirements upon hiring. I work at wal-mart and they hired a bunch of pregnant women on our remodel crew. Sure the job was only ten weeks but one girl only had a few weeks to go so there are employers out there who will hire pregnant women. Good luck.

Depending on the job...it's not dishonest if they don't ask. But you may want to ask about the medical benefits of the company and you may want/need to tell them depending on coverage. The question that usually get people to talking is: "Tell me a little bit about yourself" This is where most people tell all personal business, which is not really necessary. People normally tell about their marital status, if any kids etc...That's how most employers get their information with out coming straight out and asking. That can't really asked those types of questions. Not even if you have transporation, unless it's part of the job description. That can be marked as discrimination.

Don't say anything until after you've been offered the position.

It will appear dishonest if you dont tell them and i wouldnt want to start a job like that. I hired someone who didnt tell me they were pregnant until after they started and i always felt they werent an honest person. I still wouldve hired them anyway, but felt deceived that i wasnt told during their several interviews. And my boss didnt trust her either because of that. They always kept an eye on her and ended up firing her a few months after she had her baby. She wasnt doing her job, it wasnt because of the baby, but i wonder if they wouldve given her another chance if she had been honest when she started. Its a hard decision, but from an employers side, its not a good way to start. From a moms side, im not sure what i would do. Id like to think id tell them, but i dont know.