If you travel for work, when should you tell your boss you’re pregnant? In a comment to an older post, Reader A
asks….
I’m 7 weeks pregnant and just found out my work will be sending me to Latin America at the end of May beginning of June (so I’ll be in my second trimester). I’ve been looking forward to a long haul trip since in my previous job. I used to travel frequently particularity Latin America and Europe, It’s usually a good chance to see my family back in south america and so I dont want to tell them about my pregnancy until the trip is all sorted because I’m afraid they might cancel it. I’m super healthy, havent had any major discomforts so far. What should i do? Should i wait to tell them or should i do the right thing and tell them as soon as possible and let them make the decision whether to send me or not?
Congratulations on your pregnancy!!
To be honest, I actually don’t think the right thing to do is tell your company this early. It’s very common not to tell your employer at all until you reach your second trimester, when the chance of miscarriage lowers. When I was pregnant with my son I didn’t tell my boss until 14 weeks. (There is a really good Corporette post about this very topic.)
Related: Traveling in your first trimester, second trimester, and third trimester.
Also, unless there is a medical issue I really don’t think a company would cancel a second-trimester trip. I took my last flying trip at 34 weeks and my last driving trip at 36 weeks. The best thing to do is talk to your doctor and see what he or she says. My (very cautious) doctor was fine with me traveling to Mexico at 30 weeks (so my third trimester) as long as I didn’t eat any uncooked foods. If your doctor thinks it will be fine, there is no reason for your company not to send you. Good luck!!
Readers, when did you tell your boss that you were pregnant? Did it affect your business travel plans?
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The question is, if you don’t tell the company/boss and then suffer a miscarriage during the trip (may not be related), are you going to make the company responsible or blame it (to the extent of suing or claiming insurance)?
I’m sure if the country/city to go is not a preferred one, she will be quick to announce pregnancy and use it as an excuse not to go. However, in this case, it’s a place the pregnant person wants to go (and make use of the trip), that’s why she is asking.
I didn’t tell my employer until I was 14 weeks, but also didn’t tell family and friends until 12 weeks. As she mentioned, the risk of miscarriage is lower once first trimester is over and that was my reasoning in when to share my news. I did travel domestically during my first trimester and it was definitely more challenging due to morning sickness and fatigue, but my travel partners didn’t clue in except that I was eating lightly and not drinking alcohol. Personally, I would be hesitant to take an international trip unless I was flying business class and had the extra room to stretch and get comfortable.
I think the prior comment about miscarriage and blame is so off the mark. There are many reasons why a miscarriage can happen, having one on a business trip, no matter where it occurs, is traumatic. I had a miscarriage with my first pregnancy and I was supposed to be on a business trip. Fortunately for me, it was cancelled so I was home and able to see my doctor. Had that happened on the road, I would have been forced to go to urgent care or the ER. That would have been even more stressful in an international trip.