Interviewing for a new job while pregnant isn’t what I would call an ideal scenario. Depending on how far along you are, questions arise such as “will they notice my bump during my interview,” or “when do I tell my new boss?” I don’t have the answer to any of these questions, but I started a new job at 27 weeks pregnant and here is my experience.
I started looking for jobs around January, in part because my department was going through some major changes and funding was going to become an issue. By the time I had my first two on-site interviews in March, one in Richmond the other in Maryland, I knew I was pregnant. While Mr. Ice Cream and I were pretty sure we wanted to have a second child, we weren’t prepared for it to happen as quickly as it did (aka while I was job hunting). However, it was still early enough that I wasn’t showing and therefore didn’t feel the need to disclose my situation. I received an offer from the position in Maryland, but unfortunately not from the one in Richmond.
Knowing I was pregnant changed the way Mr. Ice Cream and I considered the Maryland offer. Initially when I applied, we figured we could temporarily do a split living situation until he found a position. With Max being so much easier, this felt like a feasible option. That all changed with a second one on the way. Now everything seemed a little more complicated. Logically I knew that we could make it work if it was my dream job, but it wasn’t so I turned down the offer.
Now I was back to square one. Anyone who has spent any amount of time looking for jobs knows that square one is the worst place to be. I knew I didn’t want to stay in academia but I wasn’t entirely sure what I was looking for either. I say this casually, but it was a pretty overwhelming feeling to be 34 and not know what you want to be when you grow up. Admittedly I freaked out for a little bit, lost a few nights of sleep, then refocused. I reached out to everyone I knew who was in a field I could be remotely interested in and picked their brains about their respective positions. And I mean everyone. This was probably one of the best things I did and it really helped me narrow my job search.
A few weeks later when I got an interview for a position in Richmond, I was thrilled. It was exactly what I was looking for and I really liked the team I would be potentially working with. I crossed my fingers and a few weeks later got an offer. By the time we were done negotiating my contract it had been over 2 months since I submitted my application. Two months isn’t a long time, but when you are pregnant it is the difference between barely being out of your first trimester and being very close to your third. We decided on my start date, and I quickly calculated that I would be 27 weeks pregnant on my first day. Cue the freak out.
Upon the advice of my friend in HR, I asked about the company’s maternity leave policy before accepting the offer. I asked in an “I’m just curious” way, rather than an “I’m currently pregnant and I am dying to know how much time I can get off” kind of way. Once I officially accepted the offer, I immediately contacted HR to disclose my pregnancy. Technically you don’t have to disclose, but I wanted to be upfront and let my future employer know as soon as possible. Anyway, I thought it would be awkward for everyone if I showed up on day one with a huge belly. Talk about an elephant in the room.
This is what I found out about the maternity leave situation, and of course this is only my experience at one specific company and by no means represents what anyone else’s experience might be. First, I found out that you don’t qualify for FMLA until you have been at your job for 1 year. However, my company offered short term disability to all employees and that benefit started on day one. It felt insulting to categorize having a baby as “short term disability” but if it was going to give me some semblance of maternity leave then I wasn’t going to complain. Short term disability was the best option since I wasn’t going to accrue enough paid time off for a decent maternity leave. Short term benefits depend on the plan your company offers; for a vaginal birth mine offers 80% of your salary for 6 weeks and for a C-section they offer 80% of your salary for 6 weeks and 60% of your salary for another two weeks. Right now I’m planning on working my butt off for the next couple months to prove myself to my new boss and hopefully asking for an extra 2 weeks off, but that could be wishful thinking.
Other than that, the new job has been going really well and I can already tell I like the people I work with. The biggest difference is that Mr. Ice Cream and I no longer walk/drive into work together. After commuting to and from work/school everyday for the last 7 or so years, it feels weird to be traveling in solo. But this was the right career move and I’m really happy about the new position.
Has anyone else started a job while pregnant? I’d love to know about your experiences.
guest
I once interviewed for an internal position with my company at 36 weeks. We never discussed the pregnancy during the interview. I didn’t bring it up and neither did the interviewer ( a man), although technically I don’t think they are allowed to ask. At one point they did ask if there was anything preventing me from starting the position immediately. I answered “no”. I was offered the position and worked until the Friday I gave birth, at 41 weeks and am still in the position almost 3 years later. I am curious about your process to identify a new career path. Ive never felt satisfied or happy in this role and would love to do something different, but much like you, at 37 it’s hard to not know what you want to do.
blogger / apricot / 482 posts
At my current job, I applied and had my first two interviews before I got pregnant. We had just started trying (like that month), so I figured I had 6 months or so before we’d actually get pregnant. By the third interview, I had just taken a pregnancy test and gotten a positive. The day they offered me the position, I also got my blood test from my OB confirming my pregnancy. I was terrified to start my new job while pregnant and felt that it was a little dishonest (even though I knew I didn’t have to disclose it), but I also really wanted the job. I also didn’t want to tell anyone because it was my first pregnancy and I was only 4-5 weeks pregnant when I accepted the job. I started a few weeks later when I was about 9 weeks pregnant and while I hadn’t planned on disclosing until out of my first trimester, I ended up telling HR and my current boss on the second day because the medical forms I had to fill out for insurance asked if I was pregnant. I know those forms are supposed to be confidential but I was paranoid and wanted to be the one to disclose in person, rather than have anyone just see it on a form.
My boss was amazing about it and immediately jumped up to give me a hug. Almost four years later (and now with two kids), I’m still here so it all worked out. I didn’t realize, though, how lucky I was with an office that is so family friendly.
As I start exploring some other opportunities and we think about possibly having a third child, though, the fears of interviewing/starting a new job while pregnant come flooding back. It’s not ideal, but I feel like you also have to take the right opportunities when they present themselves because you never know when they’ll come again.
kiwi / 617 posts
Please please please double check the fine print in the disability. I was told that I would receive 6 weeks, at 60%- but in fact you are required to be out for 2 weeks first and then they pay you, resulting in only 4 weeks paid. I have also heard of others having the same problem, having to be out for a whole month and only getting 2 or no weeks paid.
Ours also said that it wouldn’t cover you if you started the coverage while pregnant because it was a pre-existing condition.
guest
As @jennlin821 says, check the disability details! I had a c-section, which should have been 8 weeks at two-thirds salary. However, I had a 10-day waiting period, then had to use up my PTO and THEN it would pay. So, that 8 weeks pay wasn’t exactly what it seemed…
blogger / apricot / 250 posts
@jennlin821: Thank you for your comment! After seeing it, I looked into the fine print and found out you were right in that there is a 5 day waiting period before benefits kick in. So ultimately if I have a vaginal birth it will only end up paying for about 5 weeks instead of 6. I also found out my policy will still cover me even though I was pregnant when I started the job, which I was really nervous about.
guest
Mrs. Ice Cream,
It was such a joy to come across this post and then to read the other comments here. I actually just wrote about my own experience looking for and interviewing for a new job while pregnant. I lost my job the same day I found out I was pregnant, which threw me off completely. I am now 17 weeks pregnant and in the last stages of interviews with a company I am so excited about the possibility of joining. I haven’t told them about my pregnancy – something I don’t like the feeling of, but I know it’s the right thing to do in order for me to have the best chance at getting the job. Anyway, it’s nice just to hear from others who have gone through this similar experience so thank you for sharing.
-Caitlyn