How to Tell Your Boss You’re Pregnant
The joy you feel when you see the line on a pregnancy test might soon be overshadowed by uneasiness of telling those closest to you the happy news. While you might expect that friends and family members will be overjoyed at the news, co-workers and especially your boss might not handle the news as graciously.
Handling the way you break the news to your boss professionally and in a manner that shows him that you are capable of being the same awesome employee regardless of your pregnancy might go a long way towards lessening the blow to the business.
8 Steps to Tell Your Boss You’re Pregnant
1. Determine the right time to break the news to your boss.
While many women choose to wait after the first trimester, when the risk of miscarriage drops, if you are experiencing morning sickness, work with hazardous chemicals or feel the need to let the news out right away, tell your boss sooner than the end of your first trimester.
2. Research the maternity options at your job to prepare for the meeting, determining the projects that you will need to complete before you start maternity leave.
Develop a plan to transition your work load to other co-workers while you are on leave.
3. Time your announcement after a performance review.
Or the completion of a big project if possible to help show your boss that your pregnancy will not affect your work negatively, suggests BabyCenter.
4. Speak with other co-workers about how their maternity plans worked and ask for advice on talking to your boss.
Discuss your pregnancy only with those co-workers you know will be able to keep a secret and stress the importance of not spilling the beans about your pregnancy to other co-workers.
5. Tell your boss before you announce the news to others in the office.
With the exception of a co-worker you might have asked for advice — as your boss might not be happy to hear of your news from others before you have had a chance to speak with her.
6. Schedule a meeting instead of breaking the news in passing.
If possible, take your boss to lunch, or plan the meeting when you know your boss will be in a good mood. Come prepared with a general plan of the amount of time you plan to take for maternity leave and how you see your transition back into the work force.
You are not required to tell your boss if you are or are not planning to return to work, but being honest about your plans is the best policy to preserve relationships.
7. Recognize that while your news might be over joyous for you, it might place your boss in a tough situation.
Avoid becoming offended if he doesn’t take your news well.
8. Know your rights, as it is illegal for you to be fired because of your pregnancy.
Don’t allow your pregnancy to hold you back at work, but recognize that you might have to limit travel, avoid hazardous situations and take it easy as your pregnancy progresses. Keep the lines of communication about your pregnancy open with your boss.
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