how to tell the boss

[~Kaz~]

Hi Sakoon,

I think you should check the policy that applies to your workplace before telling your boss. Are you in the public school system? If you are it would be covered under the relevant state public sector management act and your education department would have a pregnancy or maternity policy. Even private schools should have a policy about this. This will tell you both your rights and obligations. For example, I do not have to inform my manager until I am 30 weeks (although hats off to anyone who can hide it that long! ). I also don't have to inform my manager of my maternity leave plans until 4 weeks prior to my intended first day of leave and I have the right to confidentiality. I do have to alert the manager of any health or safety issues raised by my obstetrician and/or pregnancy as it progresses that might apply to my workplace and I do have to undergo regular risk assessment reviews. Every workplace will be different. I would go into the meeting forewarned with the information.

Not sure if you meant that your specific boss has been unsupportive with other colleagues in the past or just that they might be? I'm going to assume the former and suggest that maybe if you go into the meeting without any expectation of gaining support and view it as purely an information exchange between the two of you it might help. As long as the boss is not openly unsupportive I don't think there's much you can do. Bosses and managers are not obliged to say nice things - just because you are over the moon doesn't mean they will be (of course it's nice when it happens but I think expecting it might be setting yourself up for disappointment.....).

Anyway, hope that helped. Good luck

[sakoon]

thanks for all your helpful replies. I am in a private school, will look up their policy.