Pregnant and jobless

I'm currently pregnant and jobless.

I think my last job traumatized me the most. It was only my second day of work and I was at my first trimester of 6 weeks. At the point I didn't know I'm pregnant and explain I was nausea/ vomiting because of the long bus journey. My colleague made a joke saying I'm pregnant and I laugh it off. That afternoon, I was told to leave. Heck it was not even two days, more like one and a half day.

Been jobless ever since, as first trimester I was being sick. Now I am entering second trimester and feeling slight better, hubby hint me I should really start job search due to finance, doesn't matter if it's part time or contract because no one wants to hire a pregnant woman fulltime. (What's the point of govt wanting us to give birth when no company wants a pregnant worker!?)

I guess my greatest concern is the huge gaps of unemployment in my work history, and I fear/ hate interviews. Not to mention there are so many horror stories of pregnant ladies ask to leave.

I guess I should gather up my courage but there is this fear.... is there any one in the same boat as me?

Thank you for hearing me out.
 


First of all, why were you asked to leave? Of course, you could be asked to leave because within one morning, you had been deemed unsuitable and under-qualified for the job. You should have been given a reason. This reason should be documented. Otherwise, it makes me wonder if you were told to leave because they suspected you were pregnant and didn't want to be saddled with a pregnant staff? If that's the case, you should file a complaint to MOM. You may get some compensation from the company, or you may not. But, this is a good "warning" to the company to think twice before bullying a pregnant staff.
 
if you are ask to leave because u r pregnant, you can lodge complaint to MOM. however if the company give you 1 or 2 week salary and give u some lame reason, there is nothing MOM can do. coz you still under probation as you only worked for 2 days. you haven't sign the confirmation letter yet.

actually it is understandable why company does not want to hire pregnant woman.. coz for me, i also wun hire pregnant woman (even i'm TTC myself).. firstly the person would need at least 6months to get stable and familiar with her job roles, then after she ok, she go for maternity leave and i need to hire another part timer to replace her temporary...logically it doesn't make sense... it will cause rest of my team and my dept instability.

i'm not sure what you mean by huge gaps of unemployment.. as in you have alot of previous jobs? or from your previous job to current job, there is a huge gap of unemployment period?

anyway you can try to do contract job now. this year definitely give rise to maternity leave, so you will have alot of 5 to 8 months contract job to take. at least you will have some income flowing in.
 
if you are ask to leave because u r pregnant, you can lodge complaint to MOM. however if the company give you 1 or 2 week salary and give u some lame reason, there is nothing MOM can do. coz you still under probation as you only worked for 2 days. you haven't sign the confirmation letter yet.

...

i'm not sure what you mean by huge gaps of unemployment.. as in you have alot of previous jobs? or from your previous job to current job, there is a huge gap of unemployment period?

They give me a cheque for two days work and ask me to left immediately... saying they feel I am not suitable for the job... even though I only work for 1.5 days =_=

I was being nastily sick for first trimester and also scare of job search so there's a four month gap in my resume... it terrifies me and have no idea how to explain...

Are you looking for office jobs? I may have several lobangs...

Hi Shearer, maybe can I PM you for details? I am just grateful for any job lobang.
 
i think 4 months gap is ok...
i also gt 6months gap before... if gt people asks, i just say can't find suitable job during that period
 
Hi Jellyfish313,

Firstly, my heartiest congratulations on your pregnancy!

Next, let's talk about how your last employer treated you. Apart from paying you for the 2 days of work you have done, they should also pay you for the salary in-lieu of notice. Take a look at your appointment letter and see if they indicated any clause about notice period. For my company, staff under probation needs to give a 3 working days' notice if they resign. This clause applies vice-versa to company as well. So if we think an unconfirmed staff is not suitable for the job, and if we want an immediate termination, we have to pay the staff 3 days of salary on top of the salary he/she has earned while working for us.

Let's assume that your ex-employer indicated the notice period clause and they did not pay you the salary-in-lieu of notice, I think you have all the right to lodge a complaint to MOM.

Hope this helps and all the best in your job search. Not all companies reject pregnant ladies. The company I am working for has hired a few when they are pregnant.
Good luck! :)
 
@Jellyfish313 I'm currently 10 weeks pregnant not showing yet. currently looking for a job. i got same fear as you. when i go interview i dare not reveal that I'm pregnant. don't think i will reveal till i start showing. :(
 
Hi congrats on ur pregnancy!
Me too jobless, I quit my job n realized tat I'm preg 1 week after totally regretted it. Now so stranded. I think there is no worries on the gap cos u r preg so just dun include the last job tat u work for 2 days will be fine.
 
Whyagain> no, they didn't give me appointment letter to sign... Anyway the incident took place back in Jan so already months have pass... Just curse my bad luck lor...

Gene.snit> me too. Hubby tell me to straight announce news during interview but I feel that just shoot our chance right out of the window. I'm thinking of telling only after being offer job but hubby thinks this will waste their time.

Any thoughts , fellow moms?
 
U shd inform them u r pregnant during the interview. Be honest lor..

If they offer u the job then only u tel them u r pregnant, & if tey decide not to use u, u not only waste your time time but theirs also.
 
Whyagain> no, they didn't give me appointment letter to sign... Anyway the incident took place back in Jan so already months have pass... Just curse my bad luck lor...

Gene.snit> me too. Hubby tell me to straight announce news during interview but I feel that just shoot our chance right out of the window. I'm thinking of telling only after being offer job but hubby thinks this will waste their time.

Any thoughts , fellow moms?
i agree with fairytale... you should be honest with your employer...
if not they also might not confirm you after probation if they found out...
 
Yeah, the probation date is critical... but then, if you can prove yourself to be an asset to the company, instead of just an average lady worker... why worry
 
problem is I'm not afraid they won't even consider me if I told them I'm pregnant. if i keep quiet, at least they get to review my performance.i understand its a waste of our time but truth be told no company will ever hire a pregnant lady.
 
problem is I'm not afraid they won't even consider me if I told them I'm pregnant. if i keep quiet, at least they get to review my performance.i understand its a waste of our time but truth be told no company will ever hire a pregnant lady.

Exactly, you say it girl!

I just went for one interview, and I swear once I told her I am pregnant, the smile disappear from her face. Out the door in 2 mins.:mad:

Anyway, when trying to find info online, most sites will say it is illegal for companies to ask if you're pregnant. But most job advice sites are more for America, and I guess does not really apply to us Singaporeans/ Asian :(
 
well, like what I believe, if you are an asset to the company, dun think the company will mind your pregnancy... in theory lah....
 
Exactly, you say it girl!

I just went for one interview, and I swear once I told her I am pregnant, the smile disappear from her face. Out the door in 2 mins.:mad:

Anyway, when trying to find info online, most sites will say it is illegal for companies to ask if you're pregnant. But most job advice sites are more for America, and I guess does not really apply to us Singaporeans/ Asian :(

because in america, employer do not pay their employee salary during their maternity leave. employee can take unpaid maternity leave but if the newcomer who replace them is better than them, be prepare to lose their job...
 
Jellyfish, I have checked with MOM, is perfectly ok if u dun wanna tell ur future employer.
However u will have to face the consequence of it. Which I prefers to be frank, of cos till now I'm still jobless.
We just have to face the fact, even when I offer to be contract up till me edd they oso dun wanna consider.
So I guess just gotta wait till after birth already.
 
Hi Melilone, sometimes interviewer do ask in detail like are you pregnant/ do you have kids, then we have no choice but to admit. Otherwise if they never ask , I keep quiet.

Sigh need to earn money for baby / doc fee but what to do when we are being discriminate >,<

Want us to make baby for nation building but yet no employee support =_=
 
Totally, even for contract position they r oso not willing to lo, I tried contract position too think my tummy too big cos this is #2 n I'm not the slim type so. Haiz.....
Plus hub not very understanding on n off will ask u got go find job a not like tat, sianz
 
Melilone> me too! My hubby also keep asking me to find job, help out finance . I also feel stress to see the bills of gynae , test, supplement.

I always counter back I'm busy making a human in my belly! Haha
 
Maybe find a part time job to tide over first, $500-600 per month better than nothing.
 
Hi Melilone, sometimes interviewer do ask in detail like are you pregnant/ do you have kids, then we have no choice but to admit. Otherwise if they never ask , I keep quiet.

Sigh need to earn money for baby / doc fee but what to do when we are being discriminate >,<

Want us to make baby for nation building but yet no employee support =_=

If you think that you are being discriminated during an interview or while in workforce, you may call TAFEP to feedback. They will likely contact the employer to promote Fair Employment practices.
 
If you think that you are being discriminated during an interview or while in workforce, you may call TAFEP to feedback. They will likely contact the employer to promote Fair Employment practices.

The problem is interviewer tend to ask "are you pregnant? Do you have kids?" . Once they ask this, feel like any chance all gone out of window.

why asked to leave?
is your job front desk job?

Nope , just a admin work.
 
No given reasons as to why you should leave?

Yipe as per mention in my previous post, they just gave me a cheque for two days work on my second day of work, after lunch. They say I'm not suitable for job even though I only work for 1.5 days and haven't given any work to do , just basic training and waiting for computer access. *shrugs* I'm just treating it as bad luck lor.

Next time pregnant moms , don't joke about being nausea in front of HR.

They give me a cheque for two days work and ask me to left immediately... saying they feel I am not suitable for the job... even though I only work for 1.5 days =_=
 
I believe that it is normal and necessary for women to take maternity leaves when they're heavily pregnant (or even pregnant). There's no shame in that, dear. Don't worry about your gaps in unemployment. Let your employment records speak for itself. The next time you go for a job interview, just make it clear your goals and ambitions in the next 5 years. This includes whether you plan to have children too.
 
Do not have the mindset that all companies and employers do not hire pregnant employees. There are alot of jobs out there that offers working from home too. My way of overcoming the fear of interviews was actually watching tutorial videos online that shows tips of handling interviews. Such as ways to leave a good image as well as the hints of projecting an impression of self-confidence to the interviewer.

If you are still afraid, you might want to try practicing it with your family/friends or even with yourself in front of a mirror. You will see what are the mistakes that you tend to make which loses your points during an interview. Most importantly, I think it is the first impression (appearance and attitude) that you should possess at the very moment you walk into the room.
 
I cry due to my lack of job... Just feel so useless why I can't hold a job and I can't reap the benefits of maternity leave... Sigh... Everyone say I can always earn back money after giving birth but I worry will anyone employ me ... Just feel so scare...
 
i dun think is hard to look for job in Singapore. Just that finding a job that meet your expectation maybe challenging.
example floor manager at fast food restaurant 24/7 365 days, they are looking for it
 
i dun think is hard to look for job in Singapore. Just that finding a job that meet your expectation maybe challenging.
example floor manager at fast food restaurant 24/7 365 days, they are looking for it

That's true tho. A lot of job opportunities available in Singapore however the challenges that all of us faced were the working hours, salary and the job position. Depend on the individual whether we are willing to take up such job.
 
I am in the same predicament. I tendered from my job and on my last day of service (when my period was due), it decided not to come. Prior to that i went for a couple of interviews but didn't get any favourable reply.

I was in denial about testing and only tested a week after i missed my period. Hubby and I had a talk about finances and stuff. He concur that it will be hard for me to get a job once my belly starts showing. I went for interviews for full time and contract positions since i'm still at my early stage of pregnancy where i'm looking fat rather than pregnant. Haha. The contract position is to cover someone going on maternity for six months. while i will not be entitled to maternity benefits, at least I get some pay during my pregnancy.

I'm also in a dilemma on whether to inform the prospective employer about my pregnancy, especially since it's still in the first trimester.
 
Ard 10yrs ago, i was been told to leave my company when i had my no.1

Not sure is really due to my performance issue or my pregnancy issue. At the time i was employ before i get to know that i am pregnant and problem is that i was not yet confirm even after 4mths of probation. I did not declare my pregnancy to my company that time, coz it is my 1st pregnancy and i was very young at that time, many of the MOM rules i did not understudy it too. And whenever i do my routine checkup, i will ask for MC from KKH, i was thought possible to apply using MC rather then apply unpaid leave. Maybe it is too obvious, so end up my manager told me to leave the company, reason given is becoz i am not up to the performance. But they still pay me for my last salary.

But after that i did think back, maybe they do not wish to paid for any maternity reimbursement, thus use the excuse of my performance to told me to leave. Or rather maybe is really my performance issue.

Another example, is during my interview. I very honest by telling the interviewer that i got plan to get pregnant and might choose to resign to stay at home. After 2 weeks, the company called me say i am not suitable for the position. Well, everything is depend on them, i can't say much too. But think back, they might have the same thinking too. If employ me, suddenly i told them i get pregnant and will be taking ML, then they need to start looking for temp staff to start fresh again.

Actually, i feel women still standing at a very lose end. To get pregnant, worry lose job. If choose not to be pregnant for time being, but by the time we get older, alot of pregnancy issue will happen. Even MOM say we women are protected, but if the company would want to anything funny, we also can't do anything.
 
i once gave a preg lady a chance...she promised moon to sky, sky to star...

I sympathesize with her as her hus part-timer & she need a job badly...she is in her 2nd TRI & have no morning sickness, she eats like a giant ... no joke...

End up, 3months into her job, she finished up her 14 days MC, 14 days leave - should be unpaid as she is not confirm staff yet. Her urgent leave is either, mother not well, father not well, husband not well, whole family take turn to not well within that 3months, followed by she not well, is like a rotation of whole family then to her...

Feedback to HR, cannot do anything as she is preg, got to tahan...end up 3months later she disappeared !!!!!!! with staff pass, with locker key.... HR chased her, notice to ask her back...to no avail ... till now 2 years already, she is blacklisted by the company.....

Sometimes is not we don't give chance, it depend on people treasure the chance.

I employed a single mother, she were with me 1 month, after that she realised she is preg, she only take 1 day MC throughout her pregnancy, and after that she go on Maternity & constantly called to confirm & confirm i leave the vanancy to her.... yes i saved it for her to come back, till now - 3years after delivery, she is still here, she is afraid of jobless & nobody care provide for her daughter ....
 
Ssybaby how I wished I have meet a hiring manager like u!
I choose to be honest during interview tat I just tested preg I was even ready to forgo my maternity leave lo still I was not given the chance.
Anyway I'm in my confinement period, hoping to go back to the workforce soon!
If anyone hiring pls pm me!
 
Ard 10yrs ago, i was been told to leave my company when i had my no.1

Not sure is really due to my performance issue or my pregnancy issue. At the time i was employ before i get to know that i am pregnant and problem is that i was not yet confirm even after 4mths of probation. I did not declare my pregnancy to my company that time, coz it is my 1st pregnancy and i was very young at that time, many of the MOM rules i did not understudy it too. And whenever i do my routine checkup, i will ask for MC from KKH, i was thought possible to apply using MC rather then apply unpaid leave. Maybe it is too obvious, so end up my manager told me to leave the company, reason given is becoz i am not up to the performance. But they still pay me for my last salary.

But after that i did think back, maybe they do not wish to paid for any maternity reimbursement, thus use the excuse of my performance to told me to leave. Or rather maybe is really my performance issue.

Another example, is during my interview. I very honest by telling the interviewer that i got plan to get pregnant and might choose to resign to stay at home. After 2 weeks, the company called me say i am not suitable for the position. Well, everything is depend on them, i can't say much too. But think back, they might have the same thinking too. If employ me, suddenly i told them i get pregnant and will be taking ML, then they need to start looking for temp staff to start fresh again.

Actually, i feel women still standing at a very lose end. To get pregnant, worry lose job. If choose not to be pregnant for time being, but by the time we get older, alot of pregnancy issue will happen. Even MOM say we women are protected, but if the company would want to anything funny, we also can't do anything.
I think for mnc they will play by the rules. If not mom will come to check n start interviewing the staffs. Medium & small companies is more calculative.

For my case i was single when i join so during interview i told my boss i no plan to get marry n have kids. When i attached my spouse say 1 2 start family asap so when i ttc i told my boss my plan has change. I will focus on my pregnancy n quit my job after i give birth. I took 60 hospital leave this yr n next yr will also take 60 too. To me is entitlement. After taking my maternity leave i will quit
 
I think for mnc they will play by the rules. If not mom will come to check n start interviewing the staffs. Medium & small companies is more calculative.

For my case i was single when i join so during interview i told my boss i no plan to get marry n have kids. When i attached my spouse say 1 2 start family asap so when i ttc i told my boss my plan has change. I will focus on my pregnancy n quit my job after i give birth. I took 60 hospital leave this yr n next yr will also take 60 too. To me is entitlement. After taking my maternity leave i will quit

Just curious, how are you going to take the hospitalization leave? Doctor will give? Based on what condition?

So you intend to utilize 4 months of maternity leave plus 60 days of hospitalization leave and then quit the job? The company is Ok with this?
 
Pixie: what was yr boss reaction when you told him that you are resigning after maternity?
he quite ok as i quite friendly with my boss.. coz all along he knows i need a job but i dont need this job. and i told him many many times, even during my interview, my motto is i work to live, not live to work. i different from others people.
 
Just curious, how are you going to take the hospitalization leave? Doctor will give? Based on what condition?

So you intend to utilize 4 months of maternity leave plus 60 days of hospitalization leave and then quit the job? The company is Ok with this?
as long as my gynae provides me with hospital leave, my company will not reject it. in any case, anything happen to me or my babies, who will want to be responsible? furthermore i go by the books, hospitalization leave and maternity leave all black and white, official. my boss is good to me and so i want him to find the correct person to cover me during maternity leave and eventually take over my job. i keep my boss & team in the loop from i TTC all the way to now 6 months pregnant. for example i 1 month pregnant, i already inform them. i'm not that type of person who keep secret and scare that company will fire me, then suddenly quit and leave my team in jeopardy. but everyone have their own concern, for me, i care more about conscience towards my boss and my team.

according to MOM rules, you cannot use maternity leave for tender period. so i will go back one day to tender, and use my annual leaves to offset my tender period. if not enough, my boss will request HR to allow me leave early. of course is case by case basis. if you are not good term with your boss, then will be hard i guess.. no boss likes surprise especially will impact the team
 
Last edited:
That's very nice of your boss. My boss told me when I joined that he doesn't expect me to take 4 months maternity straight. I just looked at him and told him that it will depend on my childcare availability. He took me in despite knowing I'm preggie so I'm grateful for that but being a unmarried man, he wasn't considerate during my pregnancy, making me do a lot of walking. I intend to take full 4 months of maternity if possible cos with 6 days childcare leave and other annual leave, I don't think I will be able to fully utilise all those leave by year end and may end up forfeiting
 


That's very nice of your boss. My boss told me when I joined that he doesn't expect me to take 4 months maternity straight. I just looked at him and told him that it will depend on my childcare availability. He took me in despite knowing I'm preggie so I'm grateful for that but being a unmarried man, he wasn't considerate during my pregnancy, making me do a lot of walking. I intend to take full 4 months of maternity if possible cos with 6 days childcare leave and other annual leave, I don't think I will be able to fully utilise all those leave by year end and may end up forfeiting

if i were u, i would never accept this job. if a boss does not empathize his team, he is not a good boss. working under him will be uncomfortable as well. but if the company is good, pay & benefits are good too, then still ok. anyway i plan to quit my company for sometime, and even regret that i reject one job offer because they only able to match my current pay. if wasn't for my spouse wanting a family, i wouldnt stay in this company.

my boss' wife also have twin pregnancy same as me, so he understands the difficulty. i guess i consider lucky :)
 

Back
Top