Many women are excited to announce their pregnancy to family and friends. But, most feel uncomfortable and awkward telling their employer. Plus, getting maternity leave always isn’t a sure thing in the US.
Start by learning about the Family Medical Leave Act and your company’s maternity leave policy. Basically, if you’ve worked at the same place for more than a year and your company has more than 50 employees, you’ll get 12 weeks off after you deliver.
If you live in California, you’ll get six weeks off and not miss pay. And, New York’s new parental leave laws take effect next year. Here’s a Vogue article explaining your maternity leave rights based on what state you live in.
So how do you have this awkward convo with your boss? This is one of the few times that it’s OK to tell a white lie, or at least hide your news. For example, if you’re up for a performance review or bonus, use your judgment. There are a few tricks that pregnant women use to hide a pregnancy at work.
Your best bet is to tell your supervisor/boss first and work together with how you’ll tell HR. Then, you can tell the rest of your team what your plans and timeline are. And, avoid the temptation to look at baby stuff on your work computer! The last thing you want is for a retargeting ad to pop up on your screen while you’re showing your boss something.
Make sure to check out our other articles about pregnancy & work:
Working While Pregnant? 8 Tips That’ll Help!
Facing Discrimination at Work Due to Your Pregnancy?
Working During Pregnancy
Pregnancy and Your Job