Searching for a job while pregnant is an incredibly difficult task for a woman to go through. Not only do you have to consider your health and whether you are physically well enough to go into an interview, but you also have to bear in mind the impact of pregnancy discrimination. Despite the passage of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, many women have lost out on great jobs due to being pregnant during the interview.
Legally, an employer may not pass you over for a job due to being pregnant. Discrimination still occurs, and you may build a case if you can show the employer gave off some red flags that indicated he or she may have held your pregnancy against you.
“Are you pregnant?”
It is illegal, and kind of rude, for an employer to ask if you are pregnant. You do not have to answer the question, and you certainly do not have to volunteer any information. Some employment professions may recommend disclosing your pregnancy to build trust with your prospective employer. However, the employer may not ask this question to build trust. He or she asks to determine whether you will need a lot of sick leave in the future shortly after the hiring process. It is your choice to disclose what you feel comfortable sharing at this time and place.
“What are your family plans in the future?”
A young woman may go into a job interview without being pregnant or even married. That may not stop some hiring managers from trying to pry into your personal life and see into the future. It is illegal for hiring managers to ask anything about your possible family life in the future. In the event you receive a question related to having children or having more kids, then you may respond along the lines of not being able to predict the future but still being invested in the company.