Handling Your Pregnancy at Work
June 30, 2008— -- Laura Stager couldn't wait to share with her co-workers the news that she was pregnant. But once she did, a strange thing started happening: People who barely talked to her before the announcement started rubbing her belly; even more uncomfortable, colleagues ask her weekly how much she weighs.
Stager learned the best way to deal with these new realities is to be honest. For the weight question, she replies with something like, "I don't think you're supposed to ask that." As for the touching, she tolerates it from her closest colleagues, but for others, she simply says, "hands off."
Click here to learn more about balancing work and pregnancy at our partner site, Forbes.com.
These are the small issues that come with telling the office you're expecting. But there are larger ones, too. Most co-workers will be thrilled, but some bosses won't share the excitement, a possibility that causes some pregnant women to conceal their growing stomachs for as long as possible.
Women who worked hard to climb the corporate ladder worry the boss will put them on the "mommy track," giving them less-challenging projects. This is of particular concern to women who are on a partnership track and need to demonstrate certain skills to advance. Others fear their manager will work them extra hard so they can do as much as possible before taking maternity leave.
But you can't keep your pregnancy a secret forever, and it's best to start planning early how you'll transition to maternity leave. Most experts suggest telling the boss your news after the first trimester, a time when the risk for a miscarriage greatly decreases. The only time to tell the boss sooner would be if you're experiencing a difficult pregnancy or severe morning sickness, and need to take time off from work. No matter what, tell the boss before other colleagues--it's a sign of respect.
Once you inform the boss, meet with human resources to discuss how much maternity leave your state and company offers and what portion of the leave is paid. Each state provides different leave plans. It's also a good time to re-read the company handbook, since it provides information on the firm's policies.
