Pregnant and Job Interview
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Are you pregnant, but have you also found the dream job? Pregnancy for a job interview can be a big dilemma, as the employer, on the one hand, may feel cheated, while on the other hand, you may risk being chosen solely because of your happy circumstances.
It is not obligatory to tell about the pregnancy
Job and pregnancy are always problematic cocktails. As the rules are, you must notify an employer of the pregnancy no later than three months before your due date. The same applies when you are called in for a job interview while you are pregnant. Therefore, you are not obligated to tell about your pregnancy under six months old.
If you choose to tell about the pregnancy during the job interview, you most likely risk being selected. However, even though it is illegal, it is tough to prove whether that was precisely why you were not qualified enough for the job.
The employer must not inquire about pregnancy
During the interview, it is not legal for your future employer to inquire whether you are pregnant or whether you plan to become one shortly. If you are asked about it anyway, you are not obliged to disclose it, even if your conscience may tell you otherwise. Because even though it may make you appear like a loyal employee, you risk being selected from.
Trade unions on pregnancy and job interviews
Today, many unions advise against pregnant women mentioning anything about pregnancy in connection with a job interview. However, several recommend that it be put on the table before the first working day, as otherwise, it can give a bad start to the job.
Pregnancy and the job interview is an ethical dilemma that depends on how your and the employer's conscience and morals are. There can be arguments for and against, but you should not say anything in the first place as a starting point. You are thus only assessed on your professional and social competencies and not on how the circumstances of your private life are.
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