Can I Get Promoted to Work when Pregnant
If you are qualified for a promotion, the pregnancy or maternity leave should not stop it. You can get promoted at work even when you are pregnant. Being pregnant has nothing to do with deserving the promotion.
The employer is investing in you for the long term. Your boss is more interested in your hard work and dedication to the company than your pregnancy. You get a promotion based on merit and ability.
There is nothing that stops a pregnant woman in getting a promotion. Work on your skills, grow your experience and develop yourself to offer the utmost value and you will get promoted.
You will get promoted at work despite your being expectant if you meet the following;
- If you have demonstrated consistent positive performance at work, you can get promoted
- You can get a promotion if you are qualified for the position education wise
- You can get a promotion if your skills and experience match the demands of the new promotion position
- If you have seniority and potential for the leadership you can get promoted
Pregnancy or maternity leave is not a factor that should be considered in deciding whether to promote an employee or not. If your employer refuses to promote you when pregnant, this is discrimination.
However some employers may pass you up for promotion because you are headed for maternity leave. If you feel you were denied a promotion at work because you were pregnant, you should call this out.
Read: What to Do when Faced with Pregnancy Discrimination at Work
It is harder to get promoted at work when pregnant, especially in certain male-dominated careers or your pregnancy is obviously showing. Nonetheless pregnancy does not and should not jeopardize your chances of getting a promotion. It does not put you at a disadvantage or lessen your ability to get promoted.
However if revealing your pregnancy may interfere with taking on a new role, do not tell your employer about it when applying. Also you do not need to disclose that you are pregnant when you are offered a promotion.
Read: How to Succeed Working in Male-Dominated Careers
Applying for Promotion when Pregnant
If you get an opportunity to advance and grow your career, take it. Set yourself up to have a high chance of getting promoted at work. If you are interested in a certain position when pregnant or right before maternity leave, you should still go for the promotion.
If you are qualified for a promotion, go for the promotion whether pregnant or not. Apply just like anyone else. Do not let the pregnancy hold you back from pursuing career opportunities such as promotions.
Also you do not need to worry because the promotion will not affect your pregnancy. You will only be getting more roles that you already have competence in. However ensure that the new roles that you are taking are manageable and will not be too overwhelming for you. Otherwise your pregnancy will not be affected by you taking a promotion.
Promotion and Maternity Leave
Don’t wait till you are back from maternity leave to take on a new role that you get can promoted into now. As close as you may be towards maternity leave, there is no reason for you to delay it till out you return from delivery.
If offered a promotion and it meets your needs accept it immediately at whatever trimester of pregnancy you are in. Most promotion opportunities are rare and if you decline the promotion offer because you are almost going into maternity leave, you may never get such as opportunity again.
What you can do is negotiate with your employer, especially if you are too close to delivery. You can both decide on a start date after delivery that is convenient for both of you. The transition will be smooth and it will be more manageable for you. However, if you stand to lose the opportunity by waiting till delivery, then accept the promotion now.
Remember you are not required to tell your employer that you are pregnant when you are offered a promotion. Your employer is also not allowed by law to ask you about pregnancy or how long you have before delivery. Attend the interview for the promotion normally and do not raise the issue of your pregnancy until you get a written offer.
In some workplaces, you can lose the offer if they learn about your pregnancy before they promote you. Nonetheless, check out what your employee handbook/legislation in your province says about when you need to give notice.
As long as you are in good faith planning to return to this job after your leave, don’t put your career advancement on hold for children if you can help it. Nonetheless being out for maternity leave should be considered a minor inconvenience for your employer, at most, considering your value to the company and your skills.
Guaranteed Simple Secrets to Easily Get Promoted when Pregnant
1. Be Consistent with your Work
Employers are always looking for consistency in their employees. For you to get on the good side of your employer you need to be consistent with your work.
Deliver good results consistently and it will mark you up for potential promotion. When your supervisor can trust your results, you can get promoted even when pregnant or right before maternity leave.
2. Get a Positive Performance Review
Most promotions happen after an annual or periodic performance review. If you have been having positive performance reviews all through then you will likely be promoted, even right before maternity leave.
To ensure you get that promotion, ensure that your annual or periodic performance reviews are positive.
Read: How to Get a Positive Performance Review
3. Demonstrate Royalty to Employer
One of the worries that most employers have regarding pregnant women is that they may never get back to work after delivery. A promotion before maternity leave may especially be risky for the employer as they are not aware you will be coming back.
As such if your employer doubts that you will not return to work after maternity leave they will not consider you for promotion. Therefore to get promoted you must demonstrate your loyalty to the company.
If need be verbally communicate that you intend to come back to work after maternity leave. As such your boss will not be worried about promoting you when you are pregnant only to not return after delivery.
4. Get Positive Referrals
Before an employer considers you for promotion they need to know about your potential and ability to deliver in the new role. You, therefore, need good referrals of people pointing your way for a certain post or promotion.
It will help you to have people give in a good word for you if you want to be promoted. When your supervisor and peers think of you as capable, it will help to get you promoted despite your being expectant.
5. Increase your Workload
If you want to get promoted at work despite being pregnant, you need to demonstrate that you can handle the new role. One way to do this is to take on additional roles that will illustrate your leadership skills. It will communicate to your supervisor or manager that you deserve a promotion, even when pregnant.
Expert Hacks & Tips to Manage a New Promotion when Pregnant
1. Ask For What You Need
Being pregnant and in a new role after promotion will be hard on you. As such do not hesitate to ask the management to make some accommodations for you that will make the transition into the new role easier.
2. Communicate Pregnancy & Maternity Leave Dates
Now that you have been promoted when pregnant, it is important to let the management know when you will be going on maternity leave and when you are expected back.
Being in the knowledge of this will allow your employer to allocate resources so that you are not too overwhelmed by work. It will make the new role after promotion easier especially since you are expectant.
3. Deliver your Best Value
Your employer recognizes your value and worth to the company. They are already aware that you will do great at the newly promoted role despite being pregnant. As such do not be under unnecessary pressure as you are already good at what you do. It will help transition you easily into the new role.
Read: How to Retain Motivation while Pregnant
4. Understand your Rights Regarding Pregnancy & Promotion
When you are promoted, and you are pregnant, you must understand that you have rights. Your employer cannot demote you after finding out that you are expectant. If this happens to you, there are various options you can take such as suing them.
5. Keep your Health a Priority
The new role after promotion can be too overwhelming for you because you are pregnant. You must understand you have to take care of yourself.
East well, sleep adequately, exercise, and do hobbies. All this will keep you in good health to manage the new role you have been promoted to.
