You have a great job that you love, a wonderful partner, and you have just found out that you are pregnant with your first child. Everything is absolutely perfect! Except, now you have to tell your boss…
Here are tips and advice on how and when to tell your boss you are pregnant from working mom and writer Jil Harshbarger:
Tips for Telling Your Boss You're Pregnant
Fortunately you have a little time to think through what your needs are going to be during this exciting time. You don’t need to make the announcement at work the minute you find out, in fact, waiting for a month or two makes sense on a lot of levels. Usually you have at least a few weeks before morning sickness starts to take hold- and you might be one of the lucky ones who can stave it off with a few saltines and a ginger ale. Use this time to really think about what you are going to want to do regarding your job. There are plenty of ways to make things work out, laws on your side, and hopefully supportive people surrounding you, including your boss.
Supposing that you have a healthy, uneventful pregnancy, do you want to work right up until your due date (or a week or two before)? Do you want to take the last month (or two) before the baby comes to put the final touches on the nursery, and enjoy that famed “nesting” time? How about after the baby is born? Do you want to stay home for three months? Six? Does your partner want to spend some of that time home as well? What is your company’s benefit policy with regard to family leave? Now, it may well be that your plans change as your pregnancy progresses, but you need to at least have a plan in mind that you can take to your boss when you break the big news.
Once you have thought about your needs, and discussed what you want to do as a family, you need to open up the communication with your boss. Even the most supportive supervisor is going to naturally have some concerns and questions about your plans once you bring your little bundle home. As always, the more honest you can be, the better for everyone concerned.
Know What You Want
You are a valuable employee, and your boss wants to know if she is going to be able to count on your continued commitment after you become a mother. If you think that you are going to want to be back at work as soon as possible, say so. If you think that you are going to want to take an extended leave, you may want to say it’s something you’ve thought of, if there were a way to make arrangements for you to return when you are ready. Your company has a commitment to you, and you have a commitment to be as honest and open as you feel you can when relating your position on returning to work.
Choose the Right Time
When you are ready to approach your boss, try to make sure that you choose an appropriate time. Five minutes before she needs to leave for the airport on a business trip is probably not the best time. Try to approach her when you both have enough time to talk without rushing, so that any questions that come up can be answered thoughtfully.
Remember, this may be something that she is prepared to hear, and you may be able to talk through things easily. If this a real surprise, you may need to give her some time to process the information before she is able to really have a candid discussion with you. She likely has supervisors of her own who will need to know, and there will be company policies to be considered.
Be Prepared
Be prepared with your own knowledge of your needs, your rights, and your company’s policy, so that you are prepared to answer any questions that may come up. Hopefully you and your boss will be on the same page, and you can enjoy your pregnancy, secure in the knowledge that when you are ready to return to work, things will go smoothly- at least in the workplace!
Related: Pregnancy and Employment
