STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

itsapinkthing · Coach

can this actually be said?!

bumblebee · Coach

yikes! that seems like something that they think all the time but shouldn't technically say out loud.

Hermes

I think they can - employment laws are pretty loose - they can do pretty much what they want as long as it's not due to age, sex or religion...

I've actually volunteered the information (when appropriate) during interviews that I don't plan on having kids... I know it's been to my benefit... they can't come out and ask you that as a condition of employment though...

bex · Chanel

detroit wrote:

I think they can - employment laws are pretty loose - they can do pretty much what they want as long as it's not due to age, sex or religion... I've actually volunteered the information (when appropriate) during interviews that I don't plan on having kids... I know it's been to my benefit... they can't come out and ask you that as a condition of employment though...

i do the same thing detroit. my current boss was flabbergasted when i offered up that i wasn't married and wasn't planning on having kids anytime soon during my interview (my job requires a lot of travel) but i think i gained his respect by being straightforward and thats one of the reasons why i got the job.

itsapinkthing: i don't know anything about employment laws but i would definitely research it and see what you can find out! i don't think that they can do that to you!

-- Edited by bex at 18:59, 2005-11-15

hotcocoa · Kate Spade

i'd be on fire if that were discussed in my review. what the hell does you being pregnant have to do with your ability to do your job right now? are you required to do something that being pregnant prevents you from doing?

i don't know what the law is, but i'd sure do some research. sounds like they are reaching for some form of excuse not to give you a raise, promotion etc. and looking too far into the future for that excuse.

this is getting me fired up. i worked for a man, and it was a well known fact that he hated pregnant women. being pregnant was the kiss of death at my company. sad, sad, sad.

ejc423 · Coach

Wouldn't discrimination against someone who is pregnant inherently be equivalent to discrimination against women?

I think Mikacat went through some similar stuff and may have advice for you. Also, I think blubirde and alb had some knowledgeable input fo her, so if they don't respond here, you may want to pm them. . .

Andrea Julia · Coach

itsapinkthing wrote:

Can I be told my potential for advancement in my company right now is limited due to being pregnant?! This was an actual discussion during my review!

Do you mean your potential for advancement is limited for the next few months up until you get back from maternity leave? Or do they mean now that you are having a baby, your advancement opportunities are limited?

carmenb513 · Coach

I'm actually dumfounded.I know that I can't even ask (not that I would care) if you have children when I'm interviewing candidates for work.

I do like detroit and bex volunteer my age (24) and the fact that I'm not married and don't have kids when I'm being interviewed/recruited......it has worked to my advantage because they want you to be able travel,etc...

Back to subject at hand.......I think whoever mentioned your pregnancy while discussing your job abilities is a pig.

kenzie · Chanel

carmenb513 wrote:

I'm actually dumfounded.I know that I can't even ask (not that I would care) if you have children when I'm interviewing candidates for work.

No, you can't. Nor can you ask their age, sexual orientation, marital status or religion.

I agree that being told your opportunities for advancement are limited due to pregnancy automatically is gender discrimination. Have you ever seen a pregnant man? I didn't think so.

-- Edited by NylaBelle at 10:28, 2005-11-16

esquiress · Marc Jacobs

NO, that is 100% illegal. being pregnant is a protected class, right now they are engaging in pregnancy discrimination. there are quite a few protected classes (the girls have listed some), being pregnant is definitely one of them.

ETA: itsapinkthing, start documenting every comment that's been made and by whom. also write a complaint letter saying that you think those comments are inappropriate, made in retaliation of you being pregnant, there's absolutely no reason why your pregnancy would hamper your performance in any way and thus no reason why your pregnancy should hinder your advancement.

i know that last thing you probably want is for any adverse action to happen to you but if these comments are being made you need to protect yourself and that is by documenting and complaining. make sure all your complaints are in writing and that multiple copies are sent to different people in your company. i know you may not want to alienate anyone or make anyone feel bad but trust me--if anything bad ever does happen to you (like failure to promote or termination), they'll pretend it wasn't because of your protected class (being pregnant), that you had all sorts of performance problems and they'll even pretend they never knew you were pregnant to begin with. pregnancy discrimination is EXTREMELY common and people always get away with it by flat out lying and pleading ignorance. don't let this happen to you. pm me if you want to talk in more detail. also let me know if you want me to delete this response. hth!

-- Edited by esquiress at 15:13, 2005-11-16

Bastet · Kate Spade

That's discrimination. A lot of employers tend to think that female employees are only going to stick around until they have kids, at which point they will promptly bail on the job and stay home. Or, that their family will take priority over the job. (Which IMO it should, work to live, not live to work!) But it's discrimination to curb a woman's advancement based upon her being pregnant or already having children. I'm sorry your boss thinks that way, he should have legal action taken against him.

I know lots of women who want children, but will deny it to their employers. I'm one of them. I probably will continue to deny wanting kids until I'm visibly pregnant (many years from now), it's a sad commentary on the employment climate for women.

itsapinkthing · Coach

Bastet wrote:

That's discrimination. A lot of employers tend to think that female employees are only going to stick around until they have kids, at which point they will promptly bail on the job and stay home. Or, that their family will take priority over the job. (Which IMO it should, work to live, not live to work!) But it's discrimination to curb a woman's advancement based upon her being pregnant or already having children. I'm sorry your boss thinks that way, he should have legal action taken against him.
I know lots of women who want children, but will deny it to their employers. I'm one of them. I probably will continue to deny wanting kids until I'm visibly pregnant (many years from now), it's a sad commentary on the employment climate for women.

Well that's the other side of the coin. I am not sure I want to fight this battle being I do not plan to return after this baby is born. I appreciate all the good advice. I need to think this over. I don't want it to continue to happen to others after I leave.