Job Hunting While Pregnant?!

I wonder if you are from a different country. American's don't get disability for having a baby. They don't get disability unless they are never going to be healthy enough to work again.

Perhaps you can go to the local employment office and find out if you can file for some sort of money for having your hours cut. That is an acceptable thing to do. I do believe it's not unemployment but something close. If they cut you from full time to part time, something like that. I would at least ask.

I don't know what to tell you. If your income is so low that you are truly worried then you need to go to your closest local state aid offices and file out the paperwork for food stamps and a medical card.

It may also be that you guys have to just cut out a lot of extra's like cell phones, cable/satellite TV, an extra car can be parked and the insurance cancelled, no gasoline or expenses for it, eat less expensive foods, have some garage sales and sell off excess items, etc...there have to be ways of affording this cut in hours or you guys may have to realize you are living above your means and buy a less expensive home and other things. Like if you both have new cars and have high payments and high insurance.

When my hubby got laid off his last high paying job it was the first of December. We had no notice they were thinking of doing this. We had just bought program cars that Summer and carried full coverage on both of them. SO our car payments were over $700 per month and our full coverage car insurance for both vehicles was over $1100 every 6 months. He had a sports car and I had a new Taurus. They were exceptionally nice. When he got laid off our car loans were through his credit union. We had to tell them to come get their cars. It was humiliating for the tow truck to come get them and tow them away. BUT it was so freeing to know that bill was gone. They did auction off the cars for less than we owed but we contested that and ended up not having to pay any extra. They could have sold them for double the amount they got for them so they got in trouble. They sold hubby's car for about 40% of what was owed on it. It got sold to an officer of the credit union....it also had less than 17K miles on it and was still at almost full loan value. They got in trouble.

We also lost our home and credit cards. We had nothing left but bill collectors and our personal belongings. We lived with his parents for a while and then they helped us get the mobile home we live in to this day. It's paid for and still shelters us. But I sure miss my 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 living rooms, full dining room, a designated office room, wet bar room, and hubby's workshop. Life went from being well off to being dirt poor trailer trash.

So my point is that you can make cuts, you are about to have a family and need to decide what is important. If your income is low enough there are programs to help you. Especially if you find you are unable to work full time. These programs are there for you to help your family make it.

Americans don't get disability for having a baby?! In California you get six weeks paid disability after having your child (8 weeks if you had a cesarean) and an additional 6 weeks bonding time under FMLA AFTER the healing time mentioned. Additionally, prior to having the baby you get however many weeks your doctor writes you out for. Typically it is 2 - 3 weeks, but some women get written out earlier if they are having complications, are unable to work at the type of job they have or need bedrest. (This comment is in response to another comment--I understand that as to the original post that if you're not paying into disability then you're kind of stuck.)

Maybe try a life-style change, I'm serious and not trying to be mean or unfeeling. For example, If you drive a lexus trade that in for a toyota. Also look into stepping outside your profession, for example try to start up your own business making even a little bit of money since your hours will be cut. Or you can invest in a business where you sell for someone else, or work from home for a data entry company.

Good luck with everything and know that you will find a way!

My husband and I have been surviving off one income for almost 7 years now and have three kids so I know you can do it too!

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2010/11/09/top-10-part-time-...

Barnes & Noble & Costco also. If money is that tight I'd babysit, have yard sales, sell items online.. I also know of a few families that signed up for AFLAC in advance and had bills paid during maternity leave. Might be too late for that option but maybe look into it. Can your husband take on an additional job? Take a personal loan out at credit union?

I got disability when I had my first two. I lived in Cali at the time though.

I agree with networking as much as possible. It will be harder for you, but I don't think impossible.

You can't collect disability on maternity leave, because childbirth isn't a disability. So that wasn't even an option to start with. It's only when you are HURT or INJURED and can't work.

I'm pretty sure they must comply with the FMLA. Perhaps going to the unemployment office and talking to a counselor about options when hours are cut, support programs, etc.

Good luck!

I just wanted to respond to the previous posts. In certain states, California and NJ included, you get 4 weeks of disability before your due date and 6-8 weeks of disability after the baby is born. You get 60% of your salary and it IS disability. I got it for my pregnancy and birth of my son. I am shocked to hear that you can't get it if you are a state employee! If you are on unemployment though, you may be able to get it since you technically can not look for work if you just had a baby. I think you should reach of to friends and previous co-workers for some leads because you are right, they can discriminate but they probably will so prove it! Also, look into some social services to get you through this tough time. Good luck!