Pregnant and still on probation, was I right to tell??

[Blurry29]

I haven't name changed for this.

I am almost 9 weeks PG very happy and very settled. DH and DS are over the moon. I enjoyed a lovely early scan and things look good.

My problem is I started a new job at the end of April so I am still on my 3 month probation period.

I currently work in an office but there has been talk or being working in the field a little more which has been concerning me.

I recently had a meeting with the owners and a HR consultant who all said they were extremely happy with my work, conduct and progress but they did explain the new changes they are making to my role and work pattern.

Fast forward to this week, after a midwife appt and a discussion with ACAS I decided to inform my boss and the owner that I am pregnant.

It went well and they both appeared to be excited and supportive but there is still an element of doubt in my mind that I have done the right thing. My worry is that if I didn't tell them then they may have expected me to do tasks in the field that may have compromised my situation.

I am worried that even though they can't sack me for being pregnant but can they find another way? Can they start questioning my work etc?

Has anyone else experienced similar?

Thank you x

[flowery]

Well, personally I wouldn't ordinarily recommend telling before you've passed the 12 week mark, but if you had health and safety concerns relating to your role you were absolutely right to tell them.

The fact that you are on probation is completely meaningless and irrelevant. The only thing legally that changes once you pass probation is that your notice period may go up, if that's specified in your contract.

You have no additional rights having passed your probation and if they wanted to dismiss you, it would be just as easy to do it in 18 months as it would be now.

In terms of whether they can find another way to sack you, for example citing performance concerns, well yes they can, however they would be very silly to do so after being told about a pregnancy. If they dismissed you and you had any reason to believe the decision was related to your pregnancy, they'd be vulnerable legally, so unless you do something utterly horrendous that means it would be a clear-cut fair decision to dismiss you, you are probably safer having told them about your pregnancy than if you hadn't.

If they have an HR consultant advising them that's good news as he/she is likely to warn them strongly against anything of the sort.

Congratulations!