A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

Should you notify your company if you are pregnant? - wondering

Posted: Oct 30, 2009

I am due to have my baby next month. I still have not told either of the places I work for that I am having a baby. For those of you who have been through this before, did you let your company know or did you just have your baby and then got right back to work as quickly as possible? The company I am an employee I am not worried about my job getting gone, but the company where I am an IC, I am a little weary of telling them I might miss a few days because I don't know if they would hold my job or not. Just looking for some advice and what other moms have done. Thanks.

How are you planning on telling them you are - SM

[ In Reply To ..]
going to be off. Call in and say by the way, I had a baby last night. Will be off for a few weeks???? If I was your employer and could get away with it, you wouldn't have a job when you got back. Your employers need to plan for the weeks you will be out with extra coverage. Only common courtesy, if nothing else, to have let them know.

No need in acting snotty - wondering

[ In Reply To ..]
For your information, I am not planning on taking a few weeks off. I am planning on keeping on working. It just won't be as much for a little while. If you've got nothing helpful to say, then keep your trap shut.

Can't plan on not taking off, heaven forbid, but if - jt

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you have to have a C-section or have any complications, you can't go straight back to work.

I had a C-section and went right back to work! - LoriMT

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We work at home for heaven's sake. I was in the hospital for four days. Went home and went right back to work.

I can't believe there are still women out there who act like childbirth is debilitating and pregnancy is a handicap. Women have been having babies since the beginning of time and I don't think back in the days of Adam and Eve, that women laid in their tents or whatever for 6 to 8 weeks on maternity leave!

I mean I get taking the time off when you work in the office. Your baby is too little for daycare and you want to bond with your baby and rest up. But when you work from home, why not work while the baby is napping which newborns do a lot of the time! It's not as if we MTs are doing manual labor! We have a very sedentary job!

I like the way you think! (NM) - Just observing

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x

I agree - Trigger Happy

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I'm due in a week and I let my employer know during my first trimester. I am taking 2 weeks off just for a little breather from typing as well as a little adjustment time at home with the new baby and my 5 y/o son. After that 2 weeks, I'm right back to typing. No reason to sit around the house watching TV and eating when I could be making money.

Must be nice! - 8 months pregnant

[ In Reply To ..]
How wonderful that you were able to work up until the moment of delivery, have a C-section, go home and immediately pick up work again as though nothing had changed. It's wonderful that some women can be pregnant and continue their activities of daily living right up until the moment of birth with no limitations or discomfort or concerns about pregnancy loss or complications. Unfortunately, lots of women experience intense pain and discomfort and fatigue and some are high risk for complications that may cause the loss of life for their unborn babies. Some women cannot sit upright for more than an hour or so during their last couple months and some women can barely even walk without having painful severe contractions. Some women have to have their cervix sewn shut to keep them from losing the baby. Some women can't keep a single bite of food down for weeks and sometimes the entire pregnancy. Some women even have to be hospitalized during pregnancy. Some women have complications after delivery and are at risk of bleeding to death or infection. Some, although few, even die. Some women give birth to disabled babies and need time to deal with this new challenge. Some women give birth to perfectly healthy babies and have no clue as to how to deal with this demanding new being and need some time to adjust and bond. Some are just simply so sleep deprived that typing people's medical records would be irresponsible and a disservice to the public in general. So before you go around passing judgment on pregnant women who did not have the same exact wonderful awesome experience as yourself, maybe educate yourself a bit and try to tone down the snotty attitude.

Good points!! - NotNewMT

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Your thoughts are well put. We often think of pregnancy as being easy, but that's not always the case. Even in the best of circumstances I think the majority of women are tired and uncomfortable by the end of a pregnancy. And unless we all have memory loss, there's definitely a ton of sleep deprivation.
Everyone's situation is unique and each person needs to take their health into consideration. Just because many of us work from our own offices doesn't mean that we don't have rights, whether ICs or employees. We should make sure that companies adhere to the rules of employment.

First off, when you work from home you don't necessarily need "weeks off." - LoriMT

[ In Reply To ..]
I started a job when I was pregnant with my youngest and didn't want to tell them because I was afraid I wouldn't get the job. It was a QA job paid hourly and I didn't want to screw it up.

I knew beforehand that I would have to have a C-section because I cannot deliver naturally, so I had the luxury of being able to schedule my delivery several months in advance. I then just told them that I had already schedule a few days "get away" time in September and asked for four days off the week of my C-section (that's about how long they like to keep you at the hospital when you have a C-section).

I went right back to work when I got home from the hospital. No one ever had to know and I didn't have to lose a good job due to discrimination against pregnant women!

If you delivery naturally, you're only in the hospital for 24 hours max barring complications. So you can probably get away with calling in sick for a couple of days and no one is the wiser.

I'm a big believer in what they don't know won't hurt them!

Which is more important, your baby or your job? - Sally Forth

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Let the companies know about your status. They have leave for such as that. IC companies can find temporary replacements while you have your baby. I would be honest and up front. The truth always comes out on top.

If your insurance is through your employer, they are - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
going to find out anyway. What is it with all the secrecy. They don't care that you are having a baby, they would probably be excited for you. Why hide the fact anyway???

Tell them now so they can plan accordingly - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
to cover for you while you're off. They'll be more irritated if you don't tell them until the last minute. Most companies/bosses in MT are women who've been there & are very nice and understanding about it, but I'd tell them now.

the Q would expect you to have the baby in the middle of a chart - because "Hey you work at home"

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I would have told them ahead of time because that would have given me the perfect excuse for the days I didn't want to work... ya know I am big, pregnant, and sick and I can sit on the computer today for 8 hours or I will die!

Yes...sm - busybee

[ In Reply To ..]
You know this is coming. It is not realistic to NOT be taking some time off. You don't always know how much time off you will need (my first I needed a lot of time, I hemorrhaged and was beyond exhausted. With my other three I bounced back REALLY FAST).

IMO not telling them would be inconsiderate, rude and irresponsible. They expect and probably depend on you to show up for work and keeping them in the dark until it actually happens and then needing some time off is not fair to them. Sure, you could just call in sick, but seriously?

They may need a little time to have someone else learn your account to cover while you are gone. They may need to juggle some things around and knowing this would probably be appreciated.

There's really no easy way to tell them at this point---you just need to talk to your supervisor and spill the beans. Let them know how exciting this is for you and what your plans are regarding your work.

FYI--I have been there and done that. I became pregnant immediately after I started my first job with my second baby. I waited until I was about a month away from delivering to tell them. I couldn't just not tell them and I don't believe it would have gone over well at all if I wouldn't have given them notice about it.

What I think - gourdpainter

[ In Reply To ..]
What I think is it's a shame an MT can't even have a baby without worrying about losing her job. I would tell them and if they fired me for having a baby...well, it isn't someone I'd want to work for anyway. My "baby" turned 40 in June so maybe my thoughts aren't relevant to this day and age. I'm a firm believer in honesty but sometimes if you're honest you have to suffer the consequences for your honesty. I'm a classic example of that but I do believe that truth overcomes in the end.

Amen sista - anon

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Couldn't agree more and my "baby" is due in 5 weeks. ;)

Yes of course - 7DayMT

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so they can plan ahead. Even if everything goes smoothly you will probably want some time off after the baby is born.

In my case I had to spend almost 2 months in the hospital with kidney infection and premature labor before the baby was born so I was a good thing I had already told them. After the baby was born, because I had missed all that time, I went back to work about 6 days later.

All this ya-ya is ok if not your job - Answers

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Easy to say just give up a job for a baby, which is more important, when it is not you this is happening to. How you gonna feed that baby if no job? No way would I tell someone just forget about the job and think only of the baby. You will have no food, shelter, clothing, etc. if you listen to some posts here.

I told my employer at end of 1st trimester - JNMT

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I'm due on Nov. 18. I told my employer at the end of my 1st trimester. You might be entitled to FMLA through your employer which would prevent them from getting rid of you. Don't know about IC though. There is paperwork to fill out for FMLA so you might just need to tell them.

Just my opinion, but I think it would be common courtesy - ht

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to let them know you are goign to be off for a few days since you know ahead of time. But then, that is only my opinion.

Yes, let them know ASAP, they need to arrange - sm - XXX

[ In Reply To ..]
coverage. The more notice the better. You really should have told them a long time ago. Just because you due date is in a month doesn't mean that is when you will have that baby. We just had a MT out who had a baby, she ended up having the baby 2 weeks early. Several of us covered her work until she came back full-time, but we knew would be covering for her several months before she was due. We have another MT who is pregnant, she told us immediately (e.g. a month pregnant), so coverage will be all in place when she does have the baby. MTSO's don't like surprises. They have TAT to meet, so the more information they have on your impending delivery the better from their point of view. I would think most MTSO's would work with you in this instance.

telling companies medical info - BeenThereMT

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Unless you're an employee and have your health benefits paid by the company, it's not necessarily any of their business. If you are listed as an IC, you should be (I know, that's not how it always happens) telling the company when you are available. Hence, you should be able to make your schedule to work around whatever comes up in your life -- pregnancy, illness, emergencies, whatever.

I once worked for a company (note the past tense) and I gave them a heads up that I needed to go in for benign reasons for a hysterectomy, and was not sure how long I would be in the hospital or how much recuperation time I would need. Being the workaholic that I am, I was only in the hospital for about 2 days, and went back to work after one more day off. This was with disobeying doctor's orders NOT to go up and down any stairs. My office was on a different floor than the main part of my hours. I went back to work because the company made me feel like I had no choice if I wanted to keep my job.

I stayed there for a while, but looking back on the situation, I was stupid to allow their behavior.

Yes, pregnancy/childbirth is not an illness, but a sign of a healthy woman. But, there can be complications, and we ALL know how tiring it can be not to get a good night's rest. And if this is not this woman's first child, even if she has other help available, she needs our best wishes.

So, do whatever you feel is necessary to survive your own situation.

That being said, best wishes and best of health to you and your child!!

Honesty is the best way to go, but that's just - Fuller

[ In Reply To ..]
my opinion. I had a minor procedure once and only thought I would be out for a day or two but wound up getting pneumonia and being out of commission for a week and a half. Something could always come up, so the sooner your company knows, the better. Congratulations and best of luck to you and your baby.

Well, I did tell my employers..... - Workin

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When i was pregnant, but I only took off two days to have the baby and got right back to work.

Time off - out-of-the loop

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I would tell them. I'm sure they would be understanding, . .just tell them you won't be out any more time than you absolutely need to. It's a shame that there is no paid medical leave or other benefits for IC's. It's stressful because you're worried if you take too much time off, they'll replace you. I would just tell them, . . I think you would feel better.

The word is "leery," not "weary - nm

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NM

Weary means... - wondering

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Causing fatigue; tiresome according to the dictionary. I was stating that worrying about this is making me tiresome. So you shut up with your little smart mouth. I CAN'T STAND you ones on here to act like you are grammar gods. Mind your own business and get back to work.

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