Navigating Job Offers While Pregnant: Should I Disclose My Pregnancy to New Employers?

Seeking Guidance on Job Transition During Early Pregnancy

I am in a huge dilemma. I am working in a software company. In November, I resigned from my current job, and the 4th of January 2016 will be my last day in the current organization. I have received two offers from different MNCs. One company assured me that I will be a permanent employee from day one with no probation period. I had been struggling to find a new job, and I accepted this offer eagerly to work on new projects.

However, in the last week of December, I discovered that I am 1.5 months pregnant. I am still in the early stages of pregnancy (2/2.5 months) at the time of joining the new organization.

Should I conceal my pregnancy now, considering it is still in the early stages, when I join the new organization? Or should I disclose this to both employers? I am concerned that they might not hire me for obvious reasons, but I need this job as we are facing financial struggles.

Please provide me with guidance. I am looking forward to your reply.

Thank you.

Dear Sneha, Childbearing is a distinct gift endowed by nature upon women. As such, it is a more important stage in your wedded life, demanding peace of mind, pleasant thoughts, and optimism about the future. Hiding the fact of your pregnancy from the prospective employer on the premise of their potential negative response cannot alter the situation. You would be constantly haunted by a guilty conscience, and in fact, it could worsen the relationship, as the employer may perceive you as an unreliable employee.

Since you are in the early stages of pregnancy now, as you have disclosed, from any date of joining the new organization after 04-01-2016, you will have approximately 7 months of service computable up to the probable date of delivery. From a legal perspective, only 80 days of actual working under the same employer is the eligibility criterion for maternity benefits under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961. Therefore, my personal suggestion would be to disclose the fact to your prospective employer before joining. Consult with your husband, in-laws, and parents and make a decision.

Kind regards

Thank you for your reply. I have already informed one of the employers. My problem is if none of the future employers respond positively about my joining, then I will have to take back my resignation here, which is equally difficult as there are only 4 days left with my notice period (they have already initiated the exit process for me). I would seek a reply from my prospective employers within 1-2 days so that I can initiate a discussion with my current manager here.

Would my current company still retain me if I honestly tell them the reason for canceling my resignation in the last 2-3 days?

Dear Sneha,

Has your resignation been formally accepted? If you are in dire need of continued employment, confirm with your prospective employers within a day or two that your pregnancy will not be a hindrance to them. Otherwise, it would be advisable to speak with the CEO of your current company and explain that you need to rescind your resignation for obvious reasons. Securing an unconditional "yes" will depend on effective negotiation skills on your part and the supportive organizational culture of the prospective employers.

Please let me know if you need any further assistance.

Best regards, [Your Name]

Informing Your New Employer About Pregnancy

The difficult decision of whether to inform your new employer about your pregnancy needs to be faced boldly. I would recommend informing the new employer of your current condition and that you only recently became aware of it. It is better to tell the truth at the initial stage, or the employer may feel that you are not reliable and trustworthy. Explain that you have nearly seven months to prove your skill, dedication, and ability. A mature employer will appreciate your honesty and may still choose to hire you. This is a chance you have to take.

I understand the point everyone is trying to convey, but this is my situation: I was very prompt about my health, and I got to know this earlier. But what if I had discovered this fact after joining the new employer?

Also, the new company is nearby my home. Currently, I am traveling around 60 km daily, which seems to be really hectic for me. The new employer told me that there won't be any probation period for me, and from day one, I will be a permanent employee.

Just a week ago, everything was perfectly set. I was mentally prepared to join the new organization. Hence, it is really difficult for me to grasp the fact that I will be losing my last 5-6 months' struggle of finding a new job, and I might have to settle down with the current organization with zero increment. Appraisal discussions have already started for my colleagues here, and I was not considered eligible for that as I was on the notice period.

What if a newly joined employee undergoes some medical emergency and seeks leave for 2-3 months? Will the company fire that employee, or will they still say that you are not eligible for medical leave?

Then why is pregnancy considered a different case where the employee is informing you well in advance that she will be on leave after 7 months and is willing to continue the job afterward?

Whenever HR/Manager hires a newly married lady employee, there is a chance that she would go on maternity leave.

Hi Sneha, I have a different opinion on this. Maybe my suggestion will be considered by others as playing falsely before prospective employers, but I am seeing it from your perspective as you mentioned you are facing some financial concerns as well. So, what if you tell the truth and you lose all the jobs? Are you prepared for this? I think in that circumstance, you will be more burdened, both physically and mentally. My advice would be not to disclose this to your prospective employers (as you said in the current company you cannot take back your resignation) because let's accept the fact that for many people, a pregnant woman is considered a bag full of excuses, and any company will only see its profit in hiring you or not hiring you. The pregnancy cannot be hidden anyway, so let things proceed as they are, but give your best to the new employer so that they do not regret their decision in hiring you, and you will be welcomed after your maternity break.

Again, I think the final decision lies in your gut feeling, so make the final call by listening to your inner self.

Approach to Handling Job Transition and Pregnancy

If I were Sneha, my approach to this problem could be as follows:

Since the new employer is very close by and convenient for commuting, and having already resigned from the job and serving the notice period, the option available is to tell the truth to the new employer and face the outcome depending on the circumstances unfolding then. The idea of taking back the resignation and requesting the present employer to accommodate you only for the present most likely will not work, for the simple reason that unless you are welcomed back at the present employer considering your meritorious service with them in the past, coupled with an assurance that you are not going to resign again.

Pregnancy is something one cannot hide for long and definitely not beyond the 5th month onwards. In any case, the present employer has to face the situation of granting you mandatory maternity leave anytime after a few months, and therefore they may not want to continue with you. Also, hiding the fact will only reflect poorly on you and result in losing your credibility in due course wherever you go. Therefore, in this tricky situation, I would prefer to engage with the new employer, telling the truth rather than retracting the resignation.

Sorry if I added more to the confusion you are already facing.

"I understand the fact what everyone is trying to tell but this is my case where I was very prompt about my health and I got to know this earlier but what if I would have discovered this fact after my joining with a new employer?"

The question is not about ifs and buts. You know the fact now, and it is your duty to inform your employers before joining. This will build respect for your honesty.

I agree with Mr. Nathrao. It's always better to be honest and tell your future employer about the same. This will establish your credibility, and they may appreciate your truthfulness and proceed with your employment. On the contrary, if you do not disclose this, it will weigh heavily on your mind and create unwanted stress at this delicate stage of your health. If the new employers show reservation, you may then approach the current employer and request them to let you continue with your service, albeit without an increment.

All the best!
Vineeta

Dear Sneha, If you are confused about the "ifs and buts," as rightly pointed out by Mr. Nathrao, certainly you cannot make an appropriate decision at this crucial juncture. So, try to evaluate the following points:

(1) It is not because of your pregnancy that you decided to leave your present employer, but only because of the better offers coming your way. In the absence of new offers, your continuation in the present job would be even more strenuous with your pregnancy, as you have to commute a distance of 60 km every day until your maternity leave. It would lead to a logical conclusion that availing of loss of pay leave for some considerable time, either intermittent or continuous, is a certainty.

(2) Why did the two MNCs decide to hire you, particularly one's unconditional gesture of doing away with the probation? Only because of your exceptional suitability in their perception. So, don't be simply carried away by the common perception that employers are skeptical about hiring pregnant women for obvious reasons. The very questions you have raised in your latter post with a note of melancholy are the answers to them.

In the face of uncertainty in life, we have to be very bold and dispassionate about the outcome and act swiftly as our conscience directs. Remember the proverb, "Nobody can give you better advice than yourself." But better advice comes out of equanimity of mind and clarity of perception.

Regards

I do agree that your case is putting you into a dilemma. First of all, as suggested by UMAKANTHAN53, it is not advisable to go back to your present employer and ask for continuation in employment. This shows utter immaturity. Pregnancy cannot be kept secret for a long period. Hence, you have two options:

1. Inform the prospective employer about the pregnancy and obtain their consent for joining, or
2. Do not inform the prospective employer about the pregnancy, join, and go for MTP. This is a practical solution, even though it is unethical. Prior to this, please take the consent of your family members.

An alternate solution is suggested, but ultimately, you have to make the decision. You may go for a SWOT analysis, i.e., Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats. This will help you arrive at a decision.

Dear friend Sneha,

I missed this aspect - Are you covered under ESI Act or Maternity Benefit Act? See how the provisions of these will help you in the circumstances you are placed.

I am also facing the same situation that Sneha had faced, but the only difference is I would be joining a new employer in the 4th month. Currently, I have completed 2.5 months of my pregnancy, and I was on the bench for the past 3 months, which is the maximum allowed by the company. Now, the HR has asked me to resign as I have completed my bench period. I have informed my current employer about my pregnancy, and they have agreed to grant me 1 month's leave to complete my first trimester due to some complications. The doctor has advised complete bed rest until my first trimester is over. My current employer is almost 2 hours away from my house, and it's not feasible for me to continue with them for the whole pregnancy. Meanwhile, I am about to receive an offer from a new organization that is closer to my house. I am in a dilemma about whether I should inform the new employer about my pregnancy or not.

Thank you.

Sneha, could you please confirm the final decision you made, as I am also facing the same problem.