I am hiring for a position in an insurance agency where training will take between 2-4 weeks. This particular applicant interviewed very well but volunteered the information that she is five months pregnant. She stated that she would return to work 2-4 weeks after she had the baby, but there's never any guarantee that everything will go 100% smoothly or that she won't change her mind (it's her first child). She could work out well for our office but I don't want another headache. Opinions?

Edit: Working from home is not an option and I should point out that she will probably only last one year until she takes a position as a teacher. Unfortunately the pool of applicants is not terribly large.

 

Is working from home an option? That would be beneficial. But I would say yes if she's good enough.

 

It's probably against the law to not hire someone based on a medical or in this case pregnancy condition - I wouldn't not because she is preggers but that you are not getting a long term employee out of the deal. I would turn to craigslist hiring section and post the job or on monster ect and give it to someone thats going to be a continuing asset over time.

 

5 months prego hell no! Shes gonna want time time time off off off then immediately go on maternity leave. Ive worked with several prego gals and they bitch and cry, something is always wrong, always some wild complication and they always find every method of getting outta work not to mention they are looking foreward to that paid maternity leave.

 

You can’t discriminate based on health/medical conditions.

I understand the concerns about time off, but if you’re getting a good employee out of it then it’s worth the hassle. As someone who has a hand in helping with hiring (teachers), I’ll jump through hoops to get and keep good employees.

 

Hell Yeah Id hire her... Guaranteed she wont be pregnant from me for at least 4 months!!

 

In my state at least you can't qualify for maternity leave with less than 12 months work history. Better to hire someone knowing she'll be away for a bit and not cost you than the next woman that will "surprise" be pregnant and out 13 months after you hire her... of course, she could have another child, but that's an issue with hiring any woman - they can get preggos.

 

.......and you know she puts out.

 

Yeah just research the maternity leave laws of your state and make a decision based on that. It's highly unlikely you can work something into the contract to guarantee she will come back to work so her word may not hold, but if the law states she can have a certain time off paid/unpaid you should know your rights and her rights since you're aware of the situation and make a decision based on that.

 

Hi my name is Fred, i'd like to work for you but in four months, i'll be out for three or four weeks without any warning, after that who knows, maybe i wont come back!