It has become commonplace in Singapore – as well as many other contexts – that a pregnancy is kept to the expectant couple until the second trimester. There are a couple of reasons for this. In many Asian contexts, it is considered pantang or a taboo/superstition to reveal the pregnancy so as not to “jinx” the baby. From a scientific perspective, holding off on revealing the big news until the first trimester has passed – and the pregnancy more stable – is also reasonable, especially in the case of Mums who have had challenges with conceiving and carrying to term.
But for working mothers, should they really wait three months before letting their employer know?
When is a good time for making the news official?
WHAT THE LAW SAYS
The law according to the Ministry of Manpower is very clear on the rights and responsibilities of the employee and employer when it comes to the topic of maternity. Basically, as long as the pregnant individual has worked for an organisation for a minimum of three months, she cannot be terminated during pregnancy – otherwise, the company would have to pay the due maternity benefits.
However, there are no clear guidelines as to when the employee is obligated to share the news.
There are, however, certain things that a working woman should keep in mind in order to ensure her well-being and care by her employers
The first is to see a doctor and be medically certified as pregnant. The pregnancy test does not count. This is so as to record your status as pregnant by a certain date so that everything is above board should the issue of termination ever come into question.
The other thing to keep in mind is that a working Mum whose maternity benefits are being paid by their employer is not allowed to work for another party during their maternity leave.
WHEN TO SAY WHAT
As for when you should break the news and to whom, this really depends on your working culture, your colleagues and the scope of work you’re being employed to do.
Some people may be working in shifts; others (perhaps in sales) may have their workload peak during certain periods and have a lull in others. Some may be in a profession where it takes time to find and train a replacement. So bear all of this in mind when deciding to share your news.
Alternatively, you may decide to share your happy news only to your immediate supervisor instead of the whole department. This is to allow your manager enough time to do the necessary work arrangements in advance of your going on maternity leave.
While everyone has a right to privacy, there can be many benefits to sharing your joy with the company you work for. Many organisations are moving towards becoming more family-friendly and improving employee welfare through improving work/life balance and in so doing, better manage mental health as a part of employer branding. Although it might sound impersonal, these cultural changes can directly benefit employees who want to become more family-focused.
By sharing your news early enough, you get to discover what your employer is able to do for you in your new role as a working parent. Work arrangements like flexible hours, telecommuting, role-sharing or work-from-home are all possibilities that you can explore.