Ashli Teeman was 35 weeks pregnant when she applied to work for a child and youth program at the NSB Kings Bay Child Development Center in Georgia.

While she didn’t have any teaching experience, she had a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, and she got the position.

She was required to do a routine drug test, but she went into labor before she could take it, and she was still in the hospital when the test was scheduled.

“Because I missed the drug test, they had to withdraw the job offer,” Teeman said. “We tried seeing if there was anything that could be done because I was in the hospital, but it came back that they couldn’t do anything.”

Teeman had to wait another six months before she was even allowed to re-apply for the job.

She ended up getting the job after the waiting period.

“There are some people that may be turned off by a potential employee being pregnant, but some are very supportive and willing to make things work,” she said.

Lindsey Savage, a lawyer and mother in Washington, married to a Navy sailor, agrees that you have to be pro-active when applying for jobs while pregnant.

“I think the best way to combat pregnancy discrimination is to educate and be a leader,” she said.  “This goes for women and men.”

She said maternity issues are often amplified when it comes to military dependents seeking employment.

“When I am faced with the ‘Oh, you’re going to be leaving soon, anyway’ issue, I combat it with ‘There is no guarantee that the non-military-affiliated person you hire instead will last longer than me,’” she said. “And it’s rung true.  I’ve outlasted several colleagues over the years.”

Savage recommends being honest with all potential employers during any interview.

Tell them when you are due; tell them when you’re available to start work, and highlight that you’ll be able to do quite a bit of good work before you have the baby, she said.

Emphasize how good you are at your job, Savage adds.  They need to know why it’s worth it to hire you, even if you do take paid or unpaid maternity leave.

“Stress why it’s worth it to them to give you a chance or if you’re already employed, to give you maternity leave,” Savage said.

If your potential employer doesn’t have a maternity-leave policy, question them about why and suggest one.

“If you present them with, why it’s worth it to them, they might consider implementing it,” she said.

Maternity and paternity leave policies help families, she said.

“If you’re a father, push for paternity leave,” she said.  “And if you have it, take it.”

She encourages women in positions of power to help support other mothers with good maternity policies.

“Line others up behind you and support other women in their efforts to succeed,” she said.

Federal protection can be provided through the Family and Medical Leave Act, in which companies who have more than 50 employees must offer 12 weeks unpaid maternity leave when an employee has a new baby, though you’ll need to be employed for at least one year, be employed by a qualifying business, and be able to afford 12 weeks without pay.

In addition, look up the state laws regarding medical family leave; they do vary from state to state.

Savage’s son was born in California and her daughter in Washington.

In California, the law said pregnancy and birth is a “short-term disability,” so she was allowed to take 12 weeks of partially paid time-off for “family-bonding time.”

In Washington, however, she had no state policies in place to protect that time, so she had to use vacation and sick days. She never took any maternity leave.

She had pre-arranged with her employer to work from home while taking care of a new baby.  When she had to go to the office, she brought her daughter with her.

Her husband used his paternity leave, plus extra leave he had saved up, to help Savage so she could continue to work.
 
“Not all military families have the luxury of getting pregnant at the most convenient times, and sometimes you have to PCS and search for a new job when pregnant,” she said.  “It is hard.”

As an attorney, with a career that isn’t “naturally portable,” Savage understands, having to be a licensed attorney in three states thanks to her husband’s military career.

“But I have also found employers who were willing to give me a chance,” she said. “And it worked out.”