OMG, this is awful!

I was just doing some research on maternity leave ( not yea, not, yet just a little research) and found a chat board on baby center.com. Woman are sharing their experiences of announcing their pregnancy at the workplace. You would not believe how many woman wrote that they were fired within a few weeks/months after the accounsement!

How can this be? What, woman shouldn't be having babies? who is going to carry on a human race they think? only woman on welfare? This is terrible!!!

Did anyone here had any workrelated problems due to their pregnancy?

if that really is happening it's certainly discrimination and therefore illegal! I'd imagine in some cases, it was just a coincidence, but I'm sure it happens too often anyway

Those women could have some nice lawsuits on their hands with decent proof.

That's terrible! It makes me so mad to hear these things!!! I think people forget how they got here!!! This definitely sounds illegal!!

I must say, that aside from some chauvinistic attitudes I got from a few people about taking a 6 month leave, most everyone was sincerely happy for me. I was actually promoted a few weeks ago and I'm going on maternity leave at the end of the month. I thought that was a really nice thing for them to do, because they could certainly have waited until I returned to promote me.

DKA,

How did you get to have a 6 months leave?
And congratulations on your promotion!

Demetra, congratulations on your promotion!!!

To answer the question, I know someone who was laid off due to pregnancy, and the company declared Ch. 11, so the girl couldn't even sue.

A friend of mine recently found out she is pregnant with her 4th child (and her husband is unemployed). She had just started a new job and she told me they fired her a week after she told them she was pregnant. They told her they were downsizing and to boot also fired her co-worker who was 5 mos. pregnant. I feel so bad for her.

I just started my job 7 mos. ago and I'm really nervous about telling them.

ETS: Demetra that is so wonderful! Your job sounds very understanding.

unfortunately this still happens in the workplace...

Congrats on your promo!! For the 6 months - did you take a leave of absence?

Thanks everyone! It was definitely a NICE surprise, especially with the baby coming!

The 6 months isn't all paid leave. I get 2 months paid, but you're allowed to take upto an extra 4 months unpaid leave if you want to. I've chosen to take it and will play it by ear. If the finances get tight, or I get stir crazy being home I will go back sooner. I realize that I'm very lucky with the company I work for and especially with my area. Not all areas within the company are as understanding.