On the other hand, if you work in a physical job that requires you to do strenuous labor, you should talk to your boss right away. He or she may need to assign you to less arduous work.
When the time comes to tell your boss “I’m pregnant,” you could announce the big news in a formal way by setting up a private meeting with your supervisor, but you may want to be quirky and have some fun with it. After all, having a baby is a fun and exciting experience.
6 Unusual Ways for the Boss to learn you are Pregnant
Here are some unusual ways to tell the boss “I’m pregnant:
- Take a digital home pregnancy test. When the word “pregnant” is clearly displayed, snap a photo of it with your cell phone or digital camera, and send it to your boss. If you work in an office, you can attach the photo to an email with the subject line, “Important News.”
- Use a dash of cuteness with your announcement. If you’re allowed to dress casual in your office, head into work wearing a T-shirt that reads, “Preggo,” “Pregzilla,” “First Time Mom,” or another whimsical phrase. If you want to be subtle, you can alternate between blue and pink outfits (unless you already know your baby’s gender, then you can just wear that gender specific color.)
- Casually ask your boss or supervisor little questions and hints until he or she gets it. Questions like, “Do you like pink or blue?” or “Do you think Elizabeth or Maggie is a better name?”
- Bring lunch into your workplace and serve only “baby-themed” foods, such as baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach leaves, baby squash, baby corn etc.
- Pass out “save the date” cards to everyone in your office, including the boss. Make sure that you include your estimated due date, and the hospital where you’ll be delivering. This is a fun, albeit unusual way to tell the boss “I’m pregnant!”
- Take your boss out to lunch and over casual conversation, spring the news on him or her.
No matter your unusual way of telling the boss “I’m pregnant,” it’s important that you know your rights as an employee before announcing your pregnancy. You may be thrilled about the news, but your boss may not feel the same way. Keep in mind that if your company has at least 15 employees, it is illegal for your boss to fire you for being pregnant. You are protected under the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which is an agency of the federal government.