A pregnancy can be an amazing experience for many women. While pregnancy and childbirth are a very special experience for many women, they can cause some challenges when working. Many employers are unwilling to hire a pregnant female – they are worried that she will be away for months after less than half a year in her new job. Regulations forbid hiring discrimination based on pregnancy, but employers will look for ways to avoid hiring a pregnant female.
An interviewer cannot legally ask a job applicant if she is pregnant. While the first few months of pregnancy may not provide any visible signs, the second and third trimesters of a pregnancy are usually visible. An early pregnancy should not be discussed during a job interview. An employer cannot fire an employee for being pregnant. However, a visible pregnancy may lead to an applicant not being hired.
A visible pregnancy must be discussed during an interview. It’s important to let a company know that a pregnancy won’t impact one’s dedication to a company. While some jobs may require an individual to attend work every day, there are some jobs that allow one to work from home. Many jobs like marketing, programming, writing, and financial positions will allow individuals to work from their home. This can be a great way to maintain a job while one isn’t able to visit a fixed location every day.
It’s also important to maintain one’s value after a child’s birth. Many female employees will request 2-3 months off from work after a pregnancy. While an employer won’t be able to fire someone during this period, they may look for excuses to lay off a worker after she returns. A company that wants to fire an individual can find unrelated reasons to let a person go. While this practice may be morally wrong, it is legal.
I think every working mom probably feels the same thing: You go through big chunks of time where you’re just thinking, ‘This is impossible—oh, this is impossible.’ And then you just keep going and keep going, and you sort of do the impossible.
Tina Fey
Female employees who expect to take a pregnancy leave must demonstrate their value to a company. This value can include hard work, positive relationships with coworkers, and finding novel ways to improve the business of a company. An employee who can demonstrate a positive contribution to an organization will be retained.
One should also understand the commitment and responsibility of motherhood. While it’s possible to have a successful career and motherhood, it can be difficult to manage both. It is unlikely that one will be able to reach high-level management while raising a child. Many high-level managers find that work commitments require 60-100 hours a week. This will require 10-12-hour days on a regular schedule. It may not be possible to raise a family while juggling the commitments of a high-responsibility job.
It’s important to look for a career that allows one to choose their own hours. There are many mothers who find employment as freelance writers, transcriptionists, programmers, web developers, or entrepreneurs. There are many jobs that allow workers to choose their own hours. This can be valuable when raising and nurturing a baby or child.