My Freakin Job and the Gossip and Lies

I cannot think of why it would be any of their business or why they would want to share this with you.

Unless you do a job that could put you in danger.. Like lifting heavy things, working around dangerous materials..

Other than that,, it is NO ONES business, unless you want to share with them// What a bunch of idiots. I am so sorry, they mentioned this.

If they had yelled it across the office or whatever then that would have been rude but they didn't. You were in a private meeting discussing your review and your future with their company. It was a perfect time to put an end to the rumor.

The only thing I see unprofessional in your post is you asking them where they get off asking. They have to staff their establishment, that is where they get off.

Guys I do HR, well in our office it is payroll, small office, there is nothing against the law asking if you are pregnant once you are employed. You can't ask it in an interview because if you don't get the job you can sue.

Oh well if they ask you and you say yes and they fire you then you have a pretty good case of discrimination. To sue you must have damages, how were you damaged in this case?

AFTER READING YOUR ORIGINAL POST, OTHER RESPONSES, AND YOUR SO WHAT HAPPENED:

You may have become your "own worst enemy", your language and what you said what happened and then said "what bacisally happened" indicates that what actually occurred in you review, is questionable. "Supposedly" is never something you can hang your hat on. If you take the next step outside the company, you will need to have documented proof other then your original post. The fact that you sent out an email to all your co-workers will ONLY work against you.

AFTER READING SOME OF THE OTHER POSTS:

Absolutely DO NOT send any email at your work place talking about this matter. If any actions needs to take place it should be by HR or management. Don't fan the flames.

How was your review?

Did you hate your "freakin job" before your review?

How long have you worked for the company?

What was the answer to your question, "Were they get off asking such a thing"?

If you are thinking of quitting your job and filing a law suit (private or EEOC), please be aware this could take a very long time and depending on your company's legal capability, you could lose.

My advice is do not quit your job, go to HR and report what happend. Contact EEOC and file a complaint with them. Document everything that happens from now on (dates, times, incidents, people etc.). If for some reason you are terminated, you will at least be eligible for unemployment.

As long as you are doing a good job and not taking part in the gossip,lies etc. that your co-workers are doing, you have no reason to feel bad. Stand up for yourself.

Keep us posted

Does the company have an HR manager/

J.,

Because only women get pregnant, employment discrimination based on pregnancy is illegal sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act--and it is a very slippery slope. Anyone thinking it isn't a little more than just plain rude is uneducated with regard to HR!

Now, in your case, you're already employed there but they are not allowed to use the answer you give in any discriminatory way--consideration for a promotion, transfer, etc.

So--yes...if they are planning on future staffing, etc. BINGO--wrong AND illegal!

Talk about a gray area! What if they use this info to make a decision in the future?

Are there any reasons that it might physically apply to your job? Lifting limitations, extensive travel, international travel where vaccines, etc. might apply? Those are the only legitimate reasons I can think of for asking you.
They sound like dolts, really, and I wouldn't let their small minds bother you in this instance.

HR baby.

first it was completely unprofessional to ask you that question. it's none of their business and you don't have to answer that question (i think there's a certain line there at which point you kinda DO have to tell them - if you were, say 9 months pregnant and getting ready to be out for 6 weeks or whatever....common sense obviously)

also, why are three ganging up on you in your review? you don't have three bosses that all do the same thing, surely? that in itself would make me feel ganged up on and intimidated. that's just bad internal customer relations.

they sound like a bunch of idiots to me.

i'd be getting friendly with the HR person.

I was injured at my last job when I was driving in a company car and was hit by a fool in a big air conditioning truck. I had to have my spine fused. I had to share my conditions and abilities with my employers so they knew what they could expect of me. My father was a labor comissioner for the state of California, I spoke with several attorneys and the EEOC. It was all fair for them to know my business.

You said you look pregnant. Are you embarrassed or do you think it's a true violation and/or discrimination? This is something I would want to clear up and not let them think you are taking maternity leave in a couple of months.

You have your job already and hopefully the rest of the review went well.

Shame on the gossips in your office but your managers asked you directly and honestly they have a right to know if they need to cover an extended absence. Of course I wouldn't be happy that they asked (who wants to be asked if they are pregnant when they aren't?) but asking "where they get off" seems a bit much.

J. d.
First let me just say that at ANY job there is gossip and rumors.There are also things that we are sensitive about privatly and I feel like you recieved a double whammy.It probobly made you question the morale of your company,made you feel more self concious about what already bothers you and you now think you are the "target"of the gossip(this week,anyway)You stood up for yourself,kudos to you.Don't sweat the small stuff either,you must be a very interesting person for everyone to want to know ALL about you!!!!!!! :) p.s.did you get a good review???!!!LOL

Updated

J. d.
First let me just say that at ANY job there is gossip and rumors.There are also things that we are sensitive about privatly and I feel like you recieved a double whammy.It probobly made you question the morale of your company,made you feel more self concious about what already bothers you and you now think you are the "target"of the gossip(this week,anyway)You stood up for yourself,kudos to you.Don't sweat the small stuff either,you must be a very interesting person for everyone to want to know ALL about you!!!!!!! :) p.s.did you get a good review???!!!LOL

Welcome to mamapedia! Wow - between the 8 year old you're babysitting tonight and being asked if you're pregnant, you've had quite a day!!

How do you know if your uncomfortable yet? If this just happened today, have you been back to work yet?

I would look in the blue pages of your phone book tomorrow and call your state labor board. That way you can ask them if your employers can ask this question. I think the boss had heard this rumor and just wanted to put an end to it. If he didn't ask how would he be able to do that?

The questions you can ask your employee are vastly different than the ones you can ask someone who is interviewing.

Wow they seriously asked you that?! That's a total and complete violation of ethics and you need to report all of them to HR immediately!!!! Not sure if you have 24 hour reporting access like my company does but you need to get that documented asap!!!!

See hr and get this on record...

Wow! Is that even legal? You need to talk to your H.R. Dept about this.

Besides that, it's just plain rude to speculate about whether someone is pregnant, let alone come right out with the question.

Send an email to quelch the gossip. Be tactful, respectful and target your audience. You can also decide to ignore it and make sure your managers and/or HR person understand that you don't appreciate the rumors. I am sure they were probably just asking for the sake of knowing, not so much to be a part of the gossip.

That is just straight rude and unacceptable of them. Can they legally even ask such a thing? I can understand how you would be uncomfortable, but hold your head up high, forget them! All they need to be concerned with is your job performance!I! Good luck!

First, they should never have told you there was a rumor going around. Second, you shouldn't have asked what it was and third, they never should have asked if your pregnant. No employer is allowed to asked about your reproductive plans, age or if you are married.

I would go to HR and have a conversation with them. I would be so pissed if one of the managers said that to their employee during a job review. Really unprofessional and unnecessary and it does open the company up to liability even if that wasn't their intent and you did ask what the rumor was, which is human nature.

I don't know if it was ethical for them to ask or whatever, but you did ask what the rumor was.

Oh please don't respond to this ridiculous rumor in an office email. That is not the purpose of company email and it could get you in trouble, even though they started the nonsense.

Are there any educated HR administrators on here? I don't think they can ask this question. Take a little poke into this website and see if it says anything about this. www.eeoc.gov/offices.html

When I was pregnant with my last daughter I chose not to say anything. I was having trouble with an employee so I told the HR director and he shared it with my boss. She was dying to tell everyone, but she couldn't.

Unprofessional of them for sure.
Only you can figure out what you are gonna do with it.
Laugh it off or make yourself miserable.
I've learned, with age, not to ever ask if anyone is expecting.... since I surely would get my feelings hurt if someone asked me.
I do know that they are not allowed to discriminate for job hiring if a person is pregnant but I dont think it's illegal for them to ask.