Pregnant and on extended probation-when to tell?

Adrienne13

Hi there,

I'm currently 16 weeks pregnant. Started a new job at the start of March -Full time permanent. However there was a 6 month probation period which was due to end the start of September. My manager extended it for another 3 months to start of December. The reason being there were a couple things he wanted me to improve on. At that time i expressed my concern that i thought the probation period was 6 months and i was worried about job security and he said not to worry about that. My question is should i wait until the extended probation to tell them i'm pregnant or legally am i now untouchable now that i'm pregnant? I've spoken to a colleague who works in HR and she said once you're pregnant it's very difficult for a company to fire you etc unless there is fair grounds for dismissal whereas if you're doing a good job and you've been told this and then announce you're pregnant but are let go, you have a def case against the company. My manager has told me that in the month since he's extended the contract, i've been working on those things he wanted me to improve on and doing a good job but this is all said in person and nothing is in writing. I guess my concern is at the start of December, i will be 23 weeks and def showing (already starting to) If i wait til then to tell, he might already have sussed. but if i tell before then, he might come up with a reason to let me go so i don't get maternity benefit. Thoughts advice all welcome!

Pelvis

I'd tell them.

If you wait until over halfway through your pregnancy then they'll know you intentionally kept it a secret, and well, they may not appreciate that kind of thing. It may come back to bite you in the future.

seamus

I'd be inclined to tell them. Your friend in HR is right - once you're pregnant you're basically untouchable and they'd need to be really ballsy or you'd need to be doing a really awful job, for them to let you go.

Pregnancy is one of the few scenarios where you're entitled to use the unfair dismissals process in the first year, so companies are incredibly wary about firing a pregnant employee, even in probation.

Legally you have no obligation to let the employer know until you're 34 weeks pregnant (or 4 weeks before you start maternity leave), but like you say they will cop it and will find it odd if you don't tell them.

You would also run the risk that they would notice and let you go before you formally tell them, thereby giving them an out - they can claim they fired you before they became aware of your condition. The earlier you tell them, the less chance you have of this happening.

Reati

If you are on extended probation due to not performing and this is a recorded fact, they can let you go in Dec and you would find it hard to win unfair dismissal as you need to show they fired you for being pregnant and not due to not meeting performance.

So if you have been told your probation was extended due to not meeting the bar and it's on record, I would personally not be inclined to tell them until required or probation has passed in the off chance they don't renew you because of it and say you simply were not meeting the job requirements. Be hard to prove otherwise as you have been extended once to "work on things".

amtc

Send an email.to your manager with read receipt saying that you're glad that he is happy with your performance.

Then ,definitely tell them sooner rather than later as they will.be annoyed if you leave them in lurch, plus you will.need time off for scans an appointments.

Reati

amtc wrote: »

Send an email.to your manager with read receipt saying that you're glad that he is happy with your performance.

Then ,definitely tell them sooner rather than later as they will.be annoyed if you leave them in lurch, plus you will.need time off for scans an appointments.

Yes, if he is happy with said performance and you can get it in writing. I don't believe a read receipt is proof of anything. An email from him stating such and that she will be extended is the more important thing.

Edit: Anything to check is the policy on maternity leave and make sure there isn't something there. I know my friend was told were she worked they had some policy of you couldn't go on leave within a certain time of joining.

amtc

My point was it's better than nothing.

the_pen_turner

why not send an email asking what they think of your performance. hint at you being worried about not meeting the target. you will either be told your rubbish or either ok with room to improve more or doing good