So, you've broken the news to your loved ones, friends and everyone on Facebook and you're still shying away from the idea of telling your employer. This may sound daunting and you may dread the conversation but you're going to find it hard to cover it up and legally, they need to know.
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Do I Need to Tell My Employer I'm Pregnant?
Yes. It is in act a legal requirement that you inform them of the pregnancy and the sooner the better. You may find this easier, and much more personal, if this is done in a meeting style but be sure to have written a letter with the important information such as;
- The date you plan on going on maternity leave,
- If you wish to receive statutory maternity pay,
- Any important dates they must know about.
When Should I Tell My Employer I'm Pregnant?
The timing of the big news being revealed in your work place is entirely up to you but you do have a timeline that you need to stick by, in the eyes of the law. Legally you have to have told your employer about your pregnancy by at least 15 weeks before your due date. People know this time period as your 'notification week'. With that date in place, it's then down to you to choose when. You're most likely going to want to shout it from the rooftops and have everyone know much sooner than this, but the choice is there. The sooner you tell your employer the sooner things can be organised and be put in place, such as:
🛡️Protection:
Once the news has been broken, you will be protected against any unfair treatment or discrimination that takes place and is pregnancy related.
🤢Days off:
As you may have days off pregnancy related during the pregnancy, these will and can not be held against you and will be documented separately.
📅Maternity leave:
Your maternity leave can be organised and put in place as soon as possible so you can plan for them dates. If you wish to change the date, you must give at least 28 days notice.
⚠️Risk assessments:
When pregnant your place of work will carry out a risk assessment in order to ensure the work place is safe and necessary precautions may need to be taken. If the work place is deemed as unsafe and you're unable to return, it is their responsibility to arrange another role which ensures the safety of both you and baby at the same rate of pay.
⏱️Antenatal appointments:
You will be allocated a reasonable amount of paid time off for appointments during your pregnancy. Your workplace, even with trust there, may request doctors notes or appointment letters in order to authorise the time off.