Telling your employer you are pregnant

We often get asked “When should I tell my employer I am pregnant?”. This is a personal decision but there are a number of factors to consider.

To qualify for maternity leave, you must tell your employer about your pregnancy at least 15 weeks before the week your baby is due. This week is known as your expected week of childbirth, or EWC. You can do this by emailing or writing to your employer and telling them:

1. you are pregnant;
2. your EWC; and
3. when you intend or would like to take maternity leave and claim Statutory Maternity Pay.

You can use our sample letter to give notice. Your employer might ask to see a medical certificate or “MAT B1” form from your doctor or midwife once you are 20 weeks’ pregnant.

There is otherwise no legal obligation to notify your employer that you are pregnant any earlier than this; it is up to you to decide when you tell your employer about your pregnancy.

You are also not legally required to inform a prospective employer that you are pregnant, nor should you be asked if you are pregnant in an interview. If you start a new role after the 15th week before your EWC, you need to inform your employer as soon as reasonably practicable.

However, there are a number of reasons why it is a good idea or you might want to inform your employer you are pregnant at an earlier date. For example, if you are suffering from bad morning sickness (which might mean you are late to work or need time off) or if you are having a high-risk pregnancy (for which you might need additional antenatal appointments or support).

Why should I tell my employer?

In addition to the requirement to notify your employer of your pregnancy to qualify for maternity leave, there are other advantages to telling your employer about your pregnancy earlier than the 15th week before your EWC. 

Health and safety protections and adjustments

Your employer is responsible for providing you with a safe working environment, particularly as pregnant employee. Once you have told your employer in writing that you are pregnant, your employer should check their existing workplace risk assessment to see if there are any known risks to you or your baby from your work, for example if you work long hours, spend a long time standing, carry out a lot of lifting or are exposure to toxic chemicals. Where there are such risks, your employer should make adjustments to your role. You must be given a health and safety assessment.

We have sample letters here which you can use to request a risk assessment for your health and safety at work as a pregnant employee.

Paid time off for Antenatal Appointments

You also have the right to paid time off work for antenatal appointments on the recommendation of a registered medical practitioner, midwife or nurse, if you are an employee. The employer may ask you to provide a certificate from the registered medical practitioner, midwife or nurse confirming the pregnancy, and an appointment card or other document confirming the appointment, unless you are seeking time off for the first antenatal appointment.

Pregnancy related sick absence

If you are off sick due to a pregnancy related reason, your employer must record this absence separately and it cannot be used in any disciplinary or absence management process. If you are suffering with pregnancy related sickness it may therefore be worth telling your manager or HR so they can record your absence correctly and ensure that it is not taken into account when assessing performance / attendance.

You are protected from dismissal or detriment and have the right not to be discriminated against because of your pregnancy. For this protection to apply, your employer needs to know you are pregnant. Pregnancy discrimination can be difficult to prove if you don’t have evidence that your employer knew you were pregnant at the time of the alleged discrimination. If you suspect your employer has guessed, it is a good idea to tell them in writing.

Many women wish to keep their pregnancy quiet at first, and if you tell your employer before you want other people to know, you must make it clear that you expect confidentiality and it can be a good idea to put this request in writing.

This advice applies in England, Wales and Scotland. If you live in another part of the UK, the law may differ. If you are in Northern Ireland you can visit the Labour Relations Agency or call their helpline Workplace Information Service on 03300 555 300.

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