Where to find a job while pregnant

Use these tips to help you determine when you should share your pregnancy with your employer:. Pregnant people are protected by a number of laws and regulations. Know your specific rights before embarking on your job search to ensure you have a positive experience that hopefully concludes with a job offer:.

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act restricts employers from making hiring decisions based on pregnancy and pregnancy-related factors like childbirth, recovery and related medical conditions. In fact, employers should not ask questions like these during an interview:.

The federal Family and Medical Leave Act protects employees from losing their jobs due to pregnancy or other family-related medical issues. However, you do not become eligible for protection under this act until you've worked for a company for at least 12 months.

If you're pregnant while job searching and interviewing, you won't meet the criteria for protection. However, many states have similar programs that might protect you with less time on the job, and some companies offer job protection for pregnant employees regardless of the length of time they've worked for the organization.

Most businesses provide some sort of parental leave for their employees. If you disclose your pregnancy during your interview, you can potentially ask about the company's policies for parental leave and job protection to see what benefits you'll be entitled to if you're selected and hired. Common benefits might include:. Find jobs. Company reviews. Find salaries. Upload your resume. Sign in. Finding a Job. How to search for a job while pregnant.

All these factors will affect your performance and satisfaction in your new position, so it is important to give them some careful thought before applying for a job. You should also determine what the job demands of you before applying. For instance, as a new mother, you might not be able to fit well into a job that requires you to travel frequently or work extremely long hours. The most important thing here is to figure out what matters for you and your baby and then look for a job that will allow you to meet your obligations and responsibilities.

Below is a checklist of some of the things you should consider if you are hunting for a new job while expecting:. Finally, you should understand that as a pregnant woman searching for a new job, you have your rights. Despite all the progress that has been made in the world, bias against pregnant women still remains in the workplace. According to two studies done in and , pregnant women are viewed as less competent and therefore less likely to be hired.

In another study carried out in , the researchers found out that pregnant women were more likely to be treated rudely by interviewers of both sexes. The study also noted that pregnant women are less likely to be treated rudely if they focused on their qualifications and explained how they planned to ensure success in the position despite their pregnancy. According to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act PDA , it is illegal for an employer to deny a woman employment on the basis of her pregnancy.

The law also protects pregnant women against other forms of discrimination at the workplace, including things such as benefits, job assignments, promotions, and layoffs. During the interviewing process, it is also illegal for an employer to enquire if you are pregnant or are planning to get pregnant.

The law also gives you the right to not discuss your pregnancy in a job interview, even if the pregnancy is obvious. If, for some reason, you feel that an employer has discriminated against you on the basis of your pregnancy — for instance, if they asked you a question concerning your pregnancy or plan to have children — you can report the matter to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Because of this, most employers will not bring up the subject of pregnancy during the interview, even if the pregnancy is obvious. Unfortunately, they can still avoid hiring an applicant based on her pregnancy. In such instances, it becomes difficult to file a claim for pregnancy discrimination, since the applicant has no way of proving that the pregnancy was the reason behind her being denied employment.

In addition, employers do not require you to fill your pregnancy status during the job application, therefore it cannot be proven whether they were aware of the pregnancy. While searching for a job while pregnant can be somewhat challenging, the fact that you are carrying a little bundle of joy inside you should not keep you from going for your dreams.

If you find yourself in an interview room while pregnant, always remember that you have no obligations to bring up the pregnancy. However, if you choose to, have a plan, address the pregnancy and your plan matter-of-factly and quickly steer the conversation to your strengths and qualifications.

Keep in mind that a pregnancy will come with some changes, and schedule your interviews with these changes in consideration. Finally, remember that as a pregnant woman, you have your rights. No employer should discriminate against you because of your pregnancy. E-mail is already registered on the site.

Please use the Login form or enter another. You entered an incorrect username or password. A job search can make most people cringe in nervousness, as finding a job is not the easiest task to …. Not yet a member? Sign Up. Find your dream job. Get on promotion fasstrack and increase tour lifetime salary.

Explore A structured search through millions of jobs. Job Interview Training Skyrocket your resume, interview performance, and salary negotiation skills. Find my next job. Whether or not you tell them and when is totally up to you. If a hiring manager does ask you one of these tricky questions, you might not know what to say. In fact, at my previous job, I received recognition for my perfect attendance.

Sure, you can try to bluff away your burgeoning belly to an interviewer and keep closed-mouth with your employer after you're hired. But the news will come out eventually and staying mum for too long may lead to a loss of trust.

After all, your boss hadn't planned for the newly trained team member to take her leave maternity leave, that is quite so soon. How that discussion goes will give you a good idea of how family-friendly the company is — something that may be better to know now than after you've signed on the dotted line.

But there are some things you should keep in mind in regards to your pregnancy. These tips can help improve your chances. Find out whether the parental leave benefits if any apply to new hires.

Many companies only give paid maternity leave to people who have worked there for a certain amount of time. Your goal at an interview is to wow the employer with your skills, education and winning personality. Try to schedule job interviews at a time of day when you feel best. She suggests other job seekers do the same and really consider if the company will be the right fit for you as a mom. Ready to expand your job search? Join Monster today. Thank you! You are now a Monster member—and you'll receive more content in your inbox soon.