Tips for Announcing Your Pregnancy at Work

Mixing your personal and professional lives is not always an attractive option. However, pregnancy is not something you can effectively hide, and it's important for your boss and colleagues to prepare for your absence. While you don't have to pick up the phone as soon as your pregnancy test shows a positive, you will have to give them ample time to decide what to do while you are away. This is especially important if your job description will need to be altered with respect to the health requirements of pregnancy (i.e. heavy lifting).

Wait Until You're Positive
It is never a good idea to announce your pregnancy at work unless you are definitely pregnant. First, you might force your boss to make accommodations when none are necessary. Plus, when women find out that they aren't pregnant, it is often emotionally devastating. The fewer people you have to tell the bad news, the better. The generally-accepted guideline is that you should announce your pregnancy at work by the end of the first trimester because that is when you will begin to show.

Review Policies
So that nothing your boss tells you comes as a shock, review company policy on pregnancy and maternity leave before you announce your pregnancy at work. You can find out how much maternity leave is granted, whether or not you are paid during maternity leave and how much you'll be compensated. Some employers will pay a portion of the salary to a woman on maternity leave while others will continue the full salary until she returns. If you have a colleague who has been pregnant before, you might ask her about how the situation played out.