It is no surprise that many business will do everything in their power to do what they think will save a penny. That might include letting you go for no apparent reason. Or, worse of all, it might mean they will let you go if you tell them you are an expectant parent. What should be the most exciting time of your life might end up being one of the worst times when you get the layoff notice or termination slip. This guide might help you prepare for that possibility and how to protect yourself and your family after sharing your pregnancy announcement.
Use Time to Your Advantage
To state the obvious, pregnancies are on a pretty strict timeline. However, you can use that timetable to your advantage. By telling your supervisors at the appropriate time, you can save yourself a lot of pain. Time your announcement to when there’s potentially a lull in work – do you have less or more busy seasons at work? If that’s too much of a timeframe to manage effectively, perhaps you can set up a good time to meet one-on-one with your supervisor.
A quiet, one-on-one meeting can set the tone for the rest of the pregnancy’s term. Set up the time as a way to address your future at the company. Be clear about your needs, but give them time to take in the information, too. Be cognizant of the supervisor’s reactions. Let them know about the timeline you are on, ask about company policies, and make every effort to make your work transition seamless.
Document Everything
After the meeting with your supervisor, send a follow up email. This email should include everything said in your meeting about the pregnancy announcement. What are the next steps in the workplace announcements? What did the supervisor say about policies? Reiterate the timeline, your needs, and how you will work with everyone needed to do a successful transition while out on leave.
This follow up will provide documentation of everything discussed. This will cover you for future encounters and ensure that there is a paper trail of your announcement, willingness to adapt, and how your company treated you. If the worst thing happens: you are fired or laid off surrounding the pregnancy, you have evidence to present for a wrongful termination lawsuit or settlement. Beyond that, it will also lay a good groundwork for when you approach the human resources department, which should be the next step after your meeting with your supervisor. As you
Tell Others and Enjoy Life
This should be one of the most joyous times in your life. So, you should enjoy it! Making your pregnancy announcement to your coworkers is totally up to your discretion. It is possible they will find out sooner than later. If it is a small company, it is likely the secret won’t stay secret long. However, if the company is bigger, it might not be as necessary to let everyone know. Telling a few close coworkers or others on your immediate team might be a good idea. But again, this is totally your decision.
The gist of it is this: enjoy this time, take care of your needs, as well as your family’s needs, and cover yourself for any possible repercussions. You can never be too careful, but at the same time, you need to balance proper communication and your own needs.
