I have almost completed a six-month contract working on an IT project for a specific business unit in a multi-national company. They have been happy with the work I’ve performed, and we’ve set up an appointment for next week to discuss another role within the IT department.
I have just discovered that I am 6 weeks pregnant with my second child. Ideally I would like a six-month contract that would take me up to 38 weeks in the pregnancy (health permitting), then take 3 months off before returning to work.
My question is in my discussion next week, should I reveal my “delicate condition”? I don’t know the IT Manager well, and while my initial instinct is to be totally up-front, obviously I would prefer that this not jeopardise my chances at ongoing employment.
At this stage I have no idea whether the position on offer is permanent or on a contract basis. I would like to be able to stress the advantages of a contract arrangement in this case: if I need to reduce the number of days work towards the end of the pregnancy the company would only pay for the time I’m working; they would not have to pay maternity leave (which this company does for 6 weeks); they would be under no obligation to keep the position available for me after my return to work; and of course, I’m a fantastic catch!
Reactions please – what would your reaction be if you were the manager in question?