How to Job Search While You're Pregnant

Being pregnant can be hard. Job searching can be, too. Combining the two is uniquely challenging. A pregnant job hunter may wonder if she should share the news with interviewers—and when. Simple tasks like finding an appropriate interview outfit can require hours instead of minutes, and meeting times may need to be coordinated around pregnancy symptoms.

Tips for Getting a Job When You’re Pregnant

Still, while it may require adjustments, being pregnant should not stand in the way of your job search. If you’re expecting, and either want or need a new job, here’s what you need to know about successfully job searching while you’re pregnant.

Your Rights as a Pregnant Job Seeker

Can companies choose to avoid hiring pregnant people? Put simply: no. They aren’t supposed to.

Pregnancy Discrimination

Legally, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act prohibits employers from discriminating based on pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.

But what’s legally correct, and what occurs in practice, do not always match up. For instance, chances are you've been asked at least one of these illegal questions during an interview. Therefore it’s hard not to suspect that some employers would— without saying a word—opt to avoid hiring a pregnant candidate because of conscious or unconscious bias. That can be especially true when your pregnancy is noticeable.

Family Leave Coverage

If you do get hired, it's important to know that as a newly hired person you are not entitled to coverage under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Among other things, this act guarantees eligible employees the right to retain their position after going on maternity leave.

The key word there is eligible: To be covered under FMLA, the company must be of a certain size and the employee must have worked there for at least 12 months. If you're pregnant while interviewing, you are not covered under the FMLA.

However, depending on what state you live in, you may be eligible for coverage under a state-level family leave policy. 

Employee Benefits

If you’re pregnant (even if you get health insurance through a spouse) it’s particularly important to ask questions about the benefits package, including the company's maternity leave policy, short-term disability coverage, health insurance options, etc. This way, you’ll be informed about what coverage you can expect while you’re pregnant and beyond.

Make Accommodations for Your Pregnancy During Interviews

Perhaps you have morning sickness that strikes daily at 11 a.m. Or you're hit with a wave of fatigue every afternoon. Maybe you need to pee more frequently than ever before.

All of these things—as well as the changing shape of your body—are something to keep in mind while scheduling and preparing for interviews.

You Can Choose to Tell Potential Employers You’re Pregnant—Or Not

Should you tell potential employers you’re expecting? The answer to this question is ... it depends. 

While there isn't a legal requirement for you to inform potential employers that you're pregnant, other factors may convince you to share regardless.

You don’t want to explain yourself out of a job offer if the employer would hesitate about making one once they know you’re pregnant.

Here are some considerations to keep in mind if you're debating whether or not—and when—to disclose your pregnancy:

How far along are you? If you’re interviewing in your third trimester, it makes sense to mention your pregnancy proactively, before (or during) any in-person interviews, since hiding your bump won’t be possible. (During phone screens and video interviews, the task should be doable, so long as you angle the camera strategically.) 

In earlier trimesters, however, you can often dress to obscure your pregnancy. And if you’re very early on, you may not even be sharing the news with close friends and family, so you certainly wouldn’t want to tell an interviewer you'd just met.

Will it make a difference to the hiring decision? If you need a job and suspect that revealing your pregnancy will influence the hiring manager, avoid mentioning it during interviews. However, do consider what that says about the company and hiring manager. That brings us to the next question...

Will not sharing cause a trust issue with your future employer? A company that won’t hire you while you’re pregnant may not be a family-friendly place to work. Keep that in mind. If, however, the job isn’t doable while pregnant (for instance, if travel by plane is a weekly requirement), it’s best to mention your pregnancy during the interview. That way you can see whether the company can make accommodations. Otherwise, when you share the news after accepting the job, your manager may feel betrayed and you could wind up with a strained relationship.

How to Share the News

If you choose to disclose your pregnancy during an interview (or if it’s not really an option to keep it a secret), be prepared:

• Discuss your plans for maternity leave and transitioning back to work, and how you will prepare coworkers for your leave.
• Keep the employer's perspective in mind—they're likely to be concerned about two things. First, that your leave will be disruptive at work. Second, that you will not return to work after your maternity leave. You can offer reassurances about both these concerns.

 Try stating the information that you are pregnant clearly, without euphemisms (e.g., "I'm expecting") or jokes. This is a situation where you don't want miscommunications to occur. The most important information to share is that you're pregnant, and your anticipated due date. In late-stage interviews it may be appropriate to inquire about the company's family leave policy. 

But don’t let your pregnancy dominate the conversation! Be professional and keep the interview focused on your skills, experience, and how you’ll be an asset to the company. 

If you do not disclose your pregnancy during an interview, it’s a good idea to share the news after the company makes an offer. (Note: If you are early in your pregnancy, feel free to hold off.)

Having a job offer opens the door to negotiations—now is the time to ask for leave and any other accommodations you may want. And remember, the company made you an offer because it's eager for you to come on board. Telling your employer at this point also allows them to plan ahead so that any leave time you take is not disruptive to operations.