"Women should reveal baby plans to bosses"

[tinman0]

Countdown said:

tinman0 said:

As per normal, legislation gets in the way of trust. The legislation assumes all employers are bds.

Unplanned pregnancies are a fact of life, it happens, but right now the legislation has two groups of people (employers and employees) trying to deceive each other.

Some employers have turned into unwilling bds because of the legislation

Totally agree with you.

[tinman0]

oyster said:

But let's not exaggerate. Like someone said, if you can't cope as a small business with someone going on leave for 6-12 months to have a baby then you have a pretty flimsy business model or are a pretty woeful manager.

Depends on how key the person is in the business.

[DSLiverpool]

DonnyMac said:

You hear correctly, cost me £25k and nobody knew she was pregnant until after we'd fired her. Transpired we were well into the disciplinary process prior to her conceiving and she was asked to leave before even she knew - this didn't matter a jot.

Quite amazing showing the law is an ass - you fired her because she was pregnant, the fact you didnt know she was pregnant was irrelavent.

[bobbylondonuk]

tinman0 said:

Countdown said:

tinman0 said:

As per normal, legislation gets in the way of trust. The legislation assumes all employers are bds.

Unplanned pregnancies are a fact of life, it happens, but right now the legislation has two groups of people (employers and employees) trying to deceive each other.

Some employers have turned into unwilling bds because of the legislation

Totally agree with you.

If I was a small business owner and hiring people...I would have no choice but to be a bd if I want to keep my business running!

[LadyLuck]

I'd get shot for saying in on a womens forum but I do think it only fair to tell your potential new boss if you're planning on having a baby soon, I've ran a small business & it would have crippled me if I'd taken on new staff only for them to go off on maternity in the near future. But on the flip side I was still going for interviews when I was trying for a baby as had I fallen pg then I'd have neeed tthe maternity allowance to fund it. As it happened it took 5 years to knock me up by which time I'd gone back to college!

[jenpot]

As a quick aside to this thread, I think you have to have been employed for a year to accumulate maternity rights. A few friends have lost jobs as a result of pregnancy, the reality is legally it is difficult but one in particular after a bad labour and two existing children just couldn't financially and emotionally face fighting it. I was asked at my job interview if I planned to start a family. Legally, he had no right to ask but realistically, it's a small business. If any member of staff left for 6 months it would be a pain, never mind if it was me.