Is it OK/appropriate to ask about maternity leave in an interview?

[Anonymous]

If I ask, are they going to refuse to hire me bc then they know I am planning on having a kid at some point in the near future? Also, I am pumping, so do I tell them that when I get the job offer and ask for accommodations, or do I mention it in the interview?

[Anonymous]

You can ask about both in the interview, but neither is a very good idea. An interview is the time to stress why you are the best person for the job, not really the time to discuss your future in that respect. I'd save those questions for after you have the offer letter in hand.

[Anonymous]

Talk about both after you have the job.

[Anonymous]

I didn't outright ask, but that was something my HR person covered. I wouldn't ask about that specifically. You should be able to get a copy of all benefits (which will outline maternity).

I don't have any suggestions on the pumping, when you're interviewing I would scope it out a bit, but I'm not sure I would outright ask for accommodations if I didn't have the job yet. Once you're hired (signed and ready to go) bring it up with HR and see what they can do for you.

[Anonymous]

This is so tricky, OP. People do discriminate.

Personally, I'd see if you can get the info on benefits without directly askling about maternity leave. And I wouldn't mention the pumping until after I was offered a job. When I was nursing, I just showed up at a new job with my pump and matter of factly asked where I could plug it in. It was no biggie.

[Anonymous]

No!

[Anonymous]

Ask after they offer you the job but before you accept.

[Anonymous]

Wow these responses suck. Op I asked at all my interviews. But I was interviewing for technical positions at which hr really had no input on whether I would be hired. However, I was basically lied to about our policy and that is why I have been working to convince hr that it needs to be better documented and included in the standard issue benefits info. Can everybody else (those of us with jobs) please do this too? That this question has to be asked is shameful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow these responses suck. Op I asked at all my interviews. But I was interviewing for technical positions at which hr really had no input on whether I would be hired. However, I was basically lied to about our policy and that is why I have been working to convince hr that it needs to be better documented and included in the standard issue benefits info. Can everybody else (those of us with jobs) please do this too? That this question has to be asked is shameful.

I disagree. You wouldn't ask about salary or vacation or bonuses in an interview - that would be in poor taste. Likewise, don't ask about maternity leave until you have the job. Pumping just ask about afterwards, there is no need to ask during an interview.

[Anonymous]

of course it's not OK. not saying it's right that it's not OK, but it definitely isn't..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow these responses suck. Op I asked at all my interviews. But I was interviewing for technical positions at which hr really had no input on whether I would be hired. However, I was basically lied to about our policy and that is why I have been working to convince hr that it needs to be better documented and included in the standard issue benefits info. Can everybody else (those of us with jobs) please do this too? That this question has to be asked is shameful.

I disagree. You wouldn't ask about salary or vacation or bonuses in an interview - that would be in poor taste. Likewise, don't ask about maternity leave until you have the job. Pumping just ask about afterwards, there is no need to ask during an interview.

Manager here. Look, I wouldn't dream of introducing pumping as "standard benefits info." That's really a bit presumptuous, don't you think? Maybe I should inform women about IVF and whether they can get an abortion at their interviews? Or weight loss surgery?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ask after they offer you the job but before you accept.

This. And pay close attention to tone and/or body language when the question is answered. If you get any kind of negative vibe, probe further -- how many women have taken maternity leave/pumped? In what positions? Are they still at the company and could you speak to them? I disagree that you don't need to ask about pumping. I showed up at a job with my pump and it definitely ended up being an issue. That's not right, but it happened. It was awful so I recommend avoiding it if you can. Same with the fact that I needed to leave by a certain time to pick up my DC from day care. Between that and pumping, I was driven out of the job pretty quickly -- in large part because I had not mentioned them during the interviews or when I accepted the position because I thought it wasn't appropriate to mention. You need to be sure that things like that are okay with your employer before accepting a job. Sad but true.

[Anonymous]

Never ask about benefits in an interview. Ask after you're offered the job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow these responses suck. Op I asked at all my interviews. But I was interviewing for technical positions at which hr really had no input on whether I would be hired. However, I was basically lied to about our policy and that is why I have been working to convince hr that it needs to be better documented and included in the standard issue benefits info. Can everybody else (those of us with jobs) please do this too? That this question has to be asked is shameful.

I disagree. You wouldn't ask about salary or vacation or bonuses in an interview - that would be in poor taste. Likewise, don't ask about maternity leave until you have the job. Pumping just ask about afterwards, there is no need to ask during an interview.

Are you serious? People interview for jobs with no idea of salary or basic benefits? I get that this is an employees market, but gah...an interview goes both ways people. I agree in these shitty times, it is probably a bad idea, that's why it needs to be given upfront. And pp several places I interviewed did just that.

[Anonymous]

I mean employers market.