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HOW TO TELL YOUR BOSS YOU'RE PREGNANT

tell your boss
 
Georgina Rodgers
Written by
11th Nov 2022

Reveal your happy news at the right time and in the right way...

Discovering you’re pregnant is a happy and exciting time, but you’ll soon need to think about when and how to tell your employer.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when sharing your pregnancy announcement

When should I tell my boss I am pregnant?

Many women choose to wait until after their 12 week scan to tell their employer they are pregnant.

However, you may want to consider telling your boss before this point if you are…

It’s important to bear in mind that your line manager or HR department ought to be the first to know before you tell colleagues.

Don’t forget that you are entitled to take time off for maternity appointments without your pay being cut.

Why is it so important that I tell my boss I'm pregnant?

If you work in an environment that may be hazardous to you and your unborn child, your employer must know to make provisions to ensure that you are safe. This may include cutting out lifting, allowing more rest if you are on your feet most of the time (or switching you to a desk job).

Talk through the worries you have about your workplace with your boss to ensure they are aware of your fears and have time to make other arrangements.

I’m worried about getting side-lined

Many of us fear that once we have announced our pregnancy, we will be side-lined and passed over for promotion. Whilst strictly speaking this is illegal, many women have anecdotes about failing to get the promotion they wanted or being given more menial tasks.

If you know that you have a performance appraisal coming up or you have the chance to apply for a promotion, it may make sense to wait until this has happened before announcing your pregnancy.

Your employer will have to honour any agreement, pay rise or change of contract at this time.

Your contract is secure and cannot be changed because you’re pregnant.

When do I legally have to tell my boss?

Legally, you must tell your employer on what is called your notification week; 15 weeks before your due date.

At that point, you need to tell your employer about several decisions you have made: 

  • When you will start your maternity leave; this can be as early as 11 weeks before your baby is due, or you can choose to continue working almost up to the birth. 
  • You should ask to receive statutory maternity pay and also any other maternity pay that your employer offers. Your employer then has a duty to answer this within 28 days.

What other factors should I consider?

When making your decision about when to tell your employer, you should think about: 

  • How family friendly is your company? 
  • Do you want to continue with the same job after your baby is born? Or would you prefer to work part time hours or even become a full time mum? 
  • Can you afford not to go back to work? Can you afford the childcare if you do? 
  • How will you and your company cover your maternity leave

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