Pregnant and looking for a job - not sure what to do

Weird choice of message boards to post this on....

But some thoughts:

1) What state do you live in? Are there any states where they can legally not give you maternity leave? I just assumed every state is required to give you maternity leave. Now, paid maternity leave might be different, of course.

2) You tell us nothing about your financial situation. Are you desperate to find something, or are you in a position to wait and find your dream job?

3) Can you keep freelancing until you find something? Can you freelance part time while on maternity leave?

4) A 2 hour test assignment isn't "fairly long." Where I work, interviews typically last at least a half day, and sometimes a full day. Sometimes somebody also comes back another time to interview with other people. It could easily be 10+ hours of total time they spend in the interview process. A 2 hour assignment to test your technical skills doesn't seem out of line.

1) I'm from Philadelphia, I'm not sure about the labor law here. I'll look it up.

2) I'm doing ok financially, so I'm not desperate. I'm just worried about the future now that I'm pregnant without a permanent position. I'm healthy and hard-working, but worried things will be very different after I give birth. It's completely new territory!

3) Freelancing might be my best option. I have developed a lot of contacts over the years so I might just try to do that as much as I can now, and then I'll see what I can do afterward.

4) Thank you! I didn't realize that. I'll do the assignment.

Where's the baby daddy?

HR help wrote:

1) I'm from Philadelphia, I'm not sure about the labor law here. I'll look it up.

2) I'm doing ok financially, so I'm not desperate. I'm just worried about the future now that I'm pregnant without a permanent position. I'm healthy and hard-working, but worried things will be very different after I give birth. It's completely new territory!

3) Freelancing might be my best option. I have developed a lot of contacts over the years so I might just try to do that as much as I can now, and then I'll see what I can do afterward.

4) Thank you! I didn't realize that. I'll do the assignment.

Would free-lancing allow you to work from home and save on those ungodly daycare costs?

You won't get any job if you admit you are pregnant, especially if there are EQUALLY qualified candidates.

You say you are without a permanent position, what about a permanent man?

I hope that I can still do freelance work after I give birth. I've been in my field for several years and I'm good at it so I usually have regular work. However, I wonder how much energy and time I'll have once I have my baby?

I'm anxious because of the uncertainty. It's one of those times I can see the advantages of a regular full-time position. But now, it's too late for me.

I do have a long-term partner, a wonderful guy, the father of our baby.

He's employed in a small firm and love his job. However he doesn't make so much money. Also, he has very little benefit (we can't get into his insurance, no paid leave, etc).

He's also looking for another position.

I don't know the legality of any of it.

But really, would you want to hire someone who may work a month or two, then be gone for a few? Usually jobs are being filled because they NEED someone there.

Sorry if this seems harsh. Taking a maternity break after just a coouple months on the job just seems like a bad thing to do to a new employer. Why not wait until after the child is born, take the time you need, and then attempt to re-enter the normal workforce having the experience of knowing what your schedule will be like with an infant?

Find a temp work agency, do some short-term gigs, and go that route.

Agree with all of your comments.

I think it's the right thing to do. I'll just have to try and save as much as I can right now, and look for full-time after the baby is born.

Thanks, all!

As to your initial post, I'd take the two-hour test process and just be clear up front that you are expecting a child. Be cordial and say if hat is an issue to be fair to them, you are probably going to have to pass on this opportunity with regrets and thank them for considering you. Don't burn any bridges. Also leaves open the small chance that they will still let you have this position.

+1/10 for getting bites. Are you a runner or not. If not then get the fck out.

All women get unpaid maternity leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (federal law). There is also the Federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Employers cannot refuse to hire or fire someone because they are pregnant.

If someone is willing to hire you when you have a baby bump, that is a pretty good sign that they are a family friendly firm and will be flexible with hours and job duties to let you do the usual mom things.

While it is a bigger issue, I am generally of the opinion that if you can afford to stay home, do it. The first few years are huge for child development. Why trust some hired help for those precious first years? It is also amazing how quickly kids grow up and spend more time at school and with friends than they do with you. 0-3 is your best shot at spending a lot of time with your kid. Once they are in pre-k, it seems like you never see them anymore and someone else is raising them. Life is long. Time with kids is short. There is plenty of time to pursue your career once your kid is in school.

There is no federal law that would require an employer to provide you with any time off for pregnancy. Many employers would and can legally fire you for taking maternity leave.

A new employee is not eligible for FMLA protections.

From the US Department of Labor fact sheets:

Only eligible employees are entitled to take FMLA leave. An eligible employee is one who:

• Works for a covered employer;

• Has worked for the employer for at least 12 months;

• Has at least 1,250 hours of service for the employer during the 12 month period immediately

preceding the leave*; and

• Works at a location where the employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles.

Three years ago I was a freelancer and due in September, so here is my 1.5 cents:

I had one project offered to me that I ended up declining because it encompassed my due date and that was irresponsible.

I had another project that ran up to my due date, I told them when my due date was and they didn't flinch. That gig ended up being very lucrative and I am grateful that they gave me the project despite my due date.

I had other steady contact work that I worked up to my due date, took a few weeks off from and then resumed several weeks later, but at a much slower rate.

Take aways: I regret having to work the first week of my son's life. I have never been so exhausted. It would have been nice to have had at least 1 week, maybe 2, of just laying on the couch and recovering. Giving birth is exhausting.

You never mention what your freelance work is, but if you can work from your couch, then you can resume after a week or two. If you have to work outside the office, it gets a little more complicated.

Working from home with a kid is one of the hardest things I have done. They want your attention ALL THE TIME. Don't envision yourself getting a ton of work done with them in the house because they will literally pull on your leg while you're typing on your computer. My son now literally closes my computer while I am typing on it.

Ignore the "if you can afford to stay home...." BS. You know if you want to be a SAHM. Don't feel guilty if the thought of spending your entire day with a baby/toddler sounds mindnumpingly boring. It is ok to pay someone else to entertain your child, even if you are paying them almost as much as you are making. My son loves his babysitters and they have a lot of fun.

Back to the perm position: take the test, try to get the job, benefits are priceless. Even if you don't get maternity leave, they can't discriminate based on pregnancy and FMLA is still a thing. You just might have to take unpaid leave since it's such a short time and you likely won't have much leave saved up. You will learn a lot about the company and if you want to work with them based on if they hire a pregnant chick.

Also, my friend wrote a book that might help you. It's called Here's The Plan. She just wrote it and I have only read the first chapter, but I assume it will answer a lot more questions than you will get on this message board.

So you aren't married and that is why you can't get on the baby daddy's insurance? Unfortunately you should have been more responsible when having a kid. Get married and then get a job. Harsh maybe. However assuming you aren't a troll you posted on the message board and get real answers.

*mindnumpingly is now my favorite word.

**obviously meant mind-numbingly

So helpful, thank you so much!

I'll look for your friend's book, Here's The Plan.

To answer some questions:

- I'm a programmer so I can work from home for some clients. Others want me to come to the office. I usually have regular work, but you never know. I would love to have a steady gig until my due date.

- I finished the test and sent it to the hiring company. It took me a little longer, about 3+ hours. I'll see what they say. If they are still interested and I go to another round of interviews, I will let them know that I am pregnant. It doesn't make me feel good to hide it anyway. It is a happy event for us and I'm proud to be a mom soon.

- We're not married, but are planning to get married. That's not the issue anyway. My boyfriend's firm is small and has almost no benefits, so I couldn't get insurance through him even if we were married.

- I have considered spending time with my baby, but I am not sure. First, I generally make more money than my bf, even as a freelancer, so I'm paying for a lot of expenses, and we need the money. Two, I don't know how I'll feel once I have my baby.

I'm a guy by birth but I identify as pregnant with triplets and I've had no problems changing jobs for at least a decade.

Starbucks?