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Asked to sit near sick people--should I disclose my pregnancy?
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I have recently become pregnant for the first time, and I want to make sure that I avoid any circumstances that might affect my pregnancy, as I am still only 10 weeks in.
My boss has asked me to move into an office with two other coworkers who are currently suffering from illnesses (flu/cold). They are not at the height of their sickness anymore, though they are still recovering: they have coughing fits every 20 minutes or so and are blowing their noses fairly often.
My immune system is not great at the best of times, and due to my current condition, I want to try to avoid getting sick at all costs.
My boss wants me to move purely so that the other workers and I don't have to walk around the office just to ask each other questions (though we are only 3 rooms apart anyway). He has asked me to move multiple times, but I have refused, saying that I can't afford to get sick right now.
I have not explained why, as I am still in the preliminary stages of the pregnancy and don't feel that it is an obligation to tell a work colleague (even if they are my boss) at this time. After 12 weeks, I will be letting them know.
Should I have to explain my situation to him, or should I be able to deny his request simply because it is putting me in danger of potentially catching the same illness the other workers are currently suffering from (regardless of my current condition)?
health
asked Aug 11 '16 at 2:11
user56101
191
 |Â
show 3 more comments
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
I have recently become pregnant for the first time, and I want to make sure that I avoid any circumstances that might affect my pregnancy, as I am still only 10 weeks in.
My boss has asked me to move into an office with two other coworkers who are currently suffering from illnesses (flu/cold). They are not at the height of their sickness anymore, though they are still recovering: they have coughing fits every 20 minutes or so and are blowing their noses fairly often.
My immune system is not great at the best of times, and due to my current condition, I want to try to avoid getting sick at all costs.
My boss wants me to move purely so that the other workers and I don't have to walk around the office just to ask each other questions (though we are only 3 rooms apart anyway). He has asked me to move multiple times, but I have refused, saying that I can't afford to get sick right now.
I have not explained why, as I am still in the preliminary stages of the pregnancy and don't feel that it is an obligation to tell a work colleague (even if they are my boss) at this time. After 12 weeks, I will be letting them know.
Should I have to explain my situation to him, or should I be able to deny his request simply because it is putting me in danger of potentially catching the same illness the other workers are currently suffering from (regardless of my current condition)?
health
asked Aug 11 '16 at 2:11
user56101
191
1
I think the answer to this question will depend on the laws of your local jurisdiction. Where I live we have what is called "at will employment.". That means I can be fired at any time without notice or cause. IANL but in my state i think your boss could decide to let you go if you refuse to move.
– Lumberjack
Aug 11 '16 at 2:26
1
"don't feel that it is an obligation to tell a work colleague (even if they are my boss)" - It's not an obligation but it would grease the wheels and most likely avoid resentment your boss might otherwise have. For the sake of just 2 weeks, why not just tell him?
– colmde
Aug 11 '16 at 8:18
7
Off-topic, but possibly helpful: I don't think the infection risk is as great as you seem to fear, at least not with a common cold. Have you discussed your concerns with your physician or midwife? They may help you to find a reasonable accomodation.
– sleske
Aug 11 '16 at 8:21
4
Most illnesses are most contagious BEFORE symptoms appear.
– Agent_L
Aug 11 '16 at 14:16
3
@JoeStrazzere 12 weeks is the point at which the risk of miscarriage goes down significantly (or at least is a threshold after which they are less common-perhaps the date turns out to be coincidental), so it's not uncommon for people to not share about a pregnancy until after that point
– Eric Renouf
Aug 11 '16 at 14:32
 |Â
show 3 more comments
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
I have recently become pregnant for the first time, and I want to make sure that I avoid any circumstances that might affect my pregnancy, as I am still only 10 weeks in.
My boss has asked me to move into an office with two other coworkers who are currently suffering from illnesses (flu/cold). They are not at the height of their sickness anymore, though they are still recovering: they have coughing fits every 20 minutes or so and are blowing their noses fairly often.
My immune system is not great at the best of times, and due to my current condition, I want to try to avoid getting sick at all costs.
My boss wants me to move purely so that the other workers and I don't have to walk around the office just to ask each other questions (though we are only 3 rooms apart anyway). He has asked me to move multiple times, but I have refused, saying that I can't afford to get sick right now.
I have not explained why, as I am still in the preliminary stages of the pregnancy and don't feel that it is an obligation to tell a work colleague (even if they are my boss) at this time. After 12 weeks, I will be letting them know.
Should I have to explain my situation to him, or should I be able to deny his request simply because it is putting me in danger of potentially catching the same illness the other workers are currently suffering from (regardless of my current condition)?
health
asked Aug 11 '16 at 2:11
user56101
191
I have recently become pregnant for the first time, and I want to make sure that I avoid any circumstances that might affect my pregnancy, as I am still only 10 weeks in.
My boss has asked me to move into an office with two other coworkers who are currently suffering from illnesses (flu/cold). They are not at the height of their sickness anymore, though they are still recovering: they have coughing fits every 20 minutes or so and are blowing their noses fairly often.
My immune system is not great at the best of times, and due to my current condition, I want to try to avoid getting sick at all costs.
My boss wants me to move purely so that the other workers and I don't have to walk around the office just to ask each other questions (though we are only 3 rooms apart anyway). He has asked me to move multiple times, but I have refused, saying that I can't afford to get sick right now.
I have not explained why, as I am still in the preliminary stages of the pregnancy and don't feel that it is an obligation to tell a work colleague (even if they are my boss) at this time. After 12 weeks, I will be letting them know.
Should I have to explain my situation to him, or should I be able to deny his request simply because it is putting me in danger of potentially catching the same illness the other workers are currently suffering from (regardless of my current condition)?
health
asked Aug 11 '16 at 2:11
user56101
191
edited Aug 11 '16 at 7:50
user45590
asked Aug 11 '16 at 2:11
user56101
191
asked Aug 11 '16 at 2:11
user56101
191
asked Aug 11 '16 at 2:11
user56101
191
191
1
I think the answer to this question will depend on the laws of your local jurisdiction. Where I live we have what is called "at will employment.". That means I can be fired at any time without notice or cause. IANL but in my state i think your boss could decide to let you go if you refuse to move.
– Lumberjack
Aug 11 '16 at 2:26
1
"don't feel that it is an obligation to tell a work colleague (even if they are my boss)" - It's not an obligation but it would grease the wheels and most likely avoid resentment your boss might otherwise have. For the sake of just 2 weeks, why not just tell him?
– colmde
Aug 11 '16 at 8:18
7
Off-topic, but possibly helpful: I don't think the infection risk is as great as you seem to fear, at least not with a common cold. Have you discussed your concerns with your physician or midwife? They may help you to find a reasonable accomodation.
– sleske
Aug 11 '16 at 8:21
4
Most illnesses are most contagious BEFORE symptoms appear.
– Agent_L
Aug 11 '16 at 14:16
3
@JoeStrazzere 12 weeks is the point at which the risk of miscarriage goes down significantly (or at least is a threshold after which they are less common-perhaps the date turns out to be coincidental), so it's not uncommon for people to not share about a pregnancy until after that point
– Eric Renouf
Aug 11 '16 at 14:32
 |Â
show 3 more comments
1
I think the answer to this question will depend on the laws of your local jurisdiction. Where I live we have what is called "at will employment.". That means I can be fired at any time without notice or cause. IANL but in my state i think your boss could decide to let you go if you refuse to move.
– Lumberjack
Aug 11 '16 at 2:26
1
"don't feel that it is an obligation to tell a work colleague (even if they are my boss)" - It's not an obligation but it would grease the wheels and most likely avoid resentment your boss might otherwise have. For the sake of just 2 weeks, why not just tell him?
– colmde
Aug 11 '16 at 8:18
7
Off-topic, but possibly helpful: I don't think the infection risk is as great as you seem to fear, at least not with a common cold. Have you discussed your concerns with your physician or midwife? They may help you to find a reasonable accomodation.
– sleske
Aug 11 '16 at 8:21
4
Most illnesses are most contagious BEFORE symptoms appear.
– Agent_L
Aug 11 '16 at 14:16
3
@JoeStrazzere 12 weeks is the point at which the risk of miscarriage goes down significantly (or at least is a threshold after which they are less common-perhaps the date turns out to be coincidental), so it's not uncommon for people to not share about a pregnancy until after that point
– Eric Renouf
Aug 11 '16 at 14:32
1
1
I think the answer to this question will depend on the laws of your local jurisdiction. Where I live we have what is called "at will employment.". That means I can be fired at any time without notice or cause. IANL but in my state i think your boss could decide to let you go if you refuse to move.
– Lumberjack
Aug 11 '16 at 2:26
I think the answer to this question will depend on the laws of your local jurisdiction. Where I live we have what is called "at will employment.". That means I can be fired at any time without notice or cause. IANL but in my state i think your boss could decide to let you go if you refuse to move.
– Lumberjack
Aug 11 '16 at 2:26
1
1
"don't feel that it is an obligation to tell a work colleague (even if they are my boss)" - It's not an obligation but it would grease the wheels and most likely avoid resentment your boss might otherwise have. For the sake of just 2 weeks, why not just tell him?
– colmde
Aug 11 '16 at 8:18
"don't feel that it is an obligation to tell a work colleague (even if they are my boss)" - It's not an obligation but it would grease the wheels and most likely avoid resentment your boss might otherwise have. For the sake of just 2 weeks, why not just tell him?
– colmde
Aug 11 '16 at 8:18
7
7
Off-topic, but possibly helpful: I don't think the infection risk is as great as you seem to fear, at least not with a common cold. Have you discussed your concerns with your physician or midwife? They may help you to find a reasonable accomodation.
– sleske
Aug 11 '16 at 8:21
Off-topic, but possibly helpful: I don't think the infection risk is as great as you seem to fear, at least not with a common cold. Have you discussed your concerns with your physician or midwife? They may help you to find a reasonable accomodation.
– sleske
Aug 11 '16 at 8:21
4
4
Most illnesses are most contagious BEFORE symptoms appear.
– Agent_L
Aug 11 '16 at 14:16
Most illnesses are most contagious BEFORE symptoms appear.
– Agent_L
Aug 11 '16 at 14:16
3
3
@JoeStrazzere 12 weeks is the point at which the risk of miscarriage goes down significantly (or at least is a threshold after which they are less common-perhaps the date turns out to be coincidental), so it's not uncommon for people to not share about a pregnancy until after that point
– Eric Renouf
Aug 11 '16 at 14:32
@JoeStrazzere 12 weeks is the point at which the risk of miscarriage goes down significantly (or at least is a threshold after which they are less common-perhaps the date turns out to be coincidental), so it's not uncommon for people to not share about a pregnancy until after that point
– Eric Renouf
Aug 11 '16 at 14:32
 |Â
show 3 more comments
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
up vote
22
down vote
Are you under an obligation to tell your boss? No. But by the same token, your boss is under no obligation to accommodate your request without any knowledge of your reasoning.
From your boss's perspective, he's asking you to move apparently to make it easier to collaborate with the two other employees on a long-running project. A cold lasts a few days, maybe a week. Your colleagues are apparently more than halfway through the course of their illness, they apparently are well enough to come to work. So it seems perfectly reasonable for your boss to have you move. If you had moved before your colleagues got sick, presumably you wouldn't demand that your boss move you away from anyone that has been sick recently (and that probably wouldn't help since most illness are most communicable before the person feels bad).
If you want your boss to accommodate you because of your pregnancy-- either based on a legal requirement in your local jurisdiction or because you think your boss is a reasonable person that wants to work with you-- you pretty much have to disclose the pregnancy. If you're really concerned about sitting next to people that have been sick, presumably you'll be asking to be moved many times over the course of a 40 week pregnancy-- the people you're currently sitting next to are likely to get sick at some point. Given that you're planning on letting him know about the pregnancy in two weeks anyway, you may as well tell him a little early and see what you can work out.
If you really, really wanted to hold off disclosing the pregnancy to your boss while still trying to get some sort of accommodation, you could potentially get a doctor's note that says that you shouldn't sit near anyone that is recovering from illness due to an unspecified medical issue. That seems like a whole lot of work for a mere two week delay and would likely appear rather aggressive to your boss but it might work.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 2:55
Justin Cave
34.8k9112136
4
This is a very good answer. I took the liberty of making the key statement bold.
– user45590
Aug 11 '16 at 7:47
+1, In even the strictest jurisdictions for requiring employer accommodation of medical conditions, it all starts with disclosure to some company official of details of the condition and the requested accommodation. Otherwise OPs refusal is just insubordination.
– cdkMoose
Aug 11 '16 at 17:12
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
4
down vote
If you want to persuade your manager you'll need to tell him something, but you don't need to tell him details you're not ready to share. The phrase "medical issues" is very helpful here:
Hey boss, could we delay that move for a week or so? I currently have some medical issues that are affecting my immune system and I'm concerned about that flu. Can we let it run its course first?
You just need to get through a couple more weeks until you can tell him the full reason, so saying "currently" signals that you're not going to be back in his office in a month because somebody else came down with a cold. By the time that happens, you two will be able to talk openly about your situation.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 15:21
Monica Cellio♦
43.6k17114191
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
Personally I would tell my boss in confidence what the issue is and why you want to delay the move. Tell him, you haven't disclosed the pregnancy because you were not far enough along and you wanted to make sure the pregnancy was going to be maintained but the getting this illness could put you at risk for a miscarriage in this early stage (if that is a genuine risk, having not been pregnant, i don't know) or you could just get really sick and not be able to work at all for more than a week because you won't be able to mitigate the symptoms with drugs, so you would like to delay moving until the other workers are fully healthy. Ask him to keep the information private at this point and not tell the other employees as you are not far enough along yet for a general announcement.
It's not like you are ever going to be able to hide pregnancy, so you are going to have to bring it up at some point. If you feel your health or your baby's health is at risk in the move, this is that point. I understand why you don't want a general announcement until week 12, but your boss needs to know. Any reasonable boss would back off at this point and even unreasonable bosses wouldn't want to be sued if something happened.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 14:11
HLGEM
133k25226489
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
Congratulations, Mom! Certainly take your boss aside and explain to him your specific reasoning. (And, ask him to keep it secret for now.) It makes perfect sense. I'm sure that your requests will be very quickly accommodated.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 14:15
Mike Robinson
1,9021410
You forgot to use the <sarcasm> tags, I guess the downvote came from that.
– Agent_L
Aug 11 '16 at 14:17
While this does answer the question, that's all it does. We are looking for answers that give explanation, reasoning, and support for your assertions. Additionally, this does not add anything new to the answers already given.
– David K
Aug 11 '16 at 14:18
I wasn't being sarcastic! This is wonderful news! However, the answer I think is simple. A long-winded explanation isn't needed. A mother-to-be has every reason to want to stay healthy especially if she considers her immune system to be weak. And I daresay that "explanation, reasoning, and support" isn't exactly necessary about such a human and obvious thing. If I were the boss, my immediate reaction would be the same: "Congratulations!! Of course... of course ... I'll take care of it right away. And I won't tell a soul until you do."
– Mike Robinson
Aug 11 '16 at 14:21
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4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
22
down vote
Are you under an obligation to tell your boss? No. But by the same token, your boss is under no obligation to accommodate your request without any knowledge of your reasoning.
From your boss's perspective, he's asking you to move apparently to make it easier to collaborate with the two other employees on a long-running project. A cold lasts a few days, maybe a week. Your colleagues are apparently more than halfway through the course of their illness, they apparently are well enough to come to work. So it seems perfectly reasonable for your boss to have you move. If you had moved before your colleagues got sick, presumably you wouldn't demand that your boss move you away from anyone that has been sick recently (and that probably wouldn't help since most illness are most communicable before the person feels bad).
If you want your boss to accommodate you because of your pregnancy-- either based on a legal requirement in your local jurisdiction or because you think your boss is a reasonable person that wants to work with you-- you pretty much have to disclose the pregnancy. If you're really concerned about sitting next to people that have been sick, presumably you'll be asking to be moved many times over the course of a 40 week pregnancy-- the people you're currently sitting next to are likely to get sick at some point. Given that you're planning on letting him know about the pregnancy in two weeks anyway, you may as well tell him a little early and see what you can work out.
If you really, really wanted to hold off disclosing the pregnancy to your boss while still trying to get some sort of accommodation, you could potentially get a doctor's note that says that you shouldn't sit near anyone that is recovering from illness due to an unspecified medical issue. That seems like a whole lot of work for a mere two week delay and would likely appear rather aggressive to your boss but it might work.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 2:55
Justin Cave
34.8k9112136
4
This is a very good answer. I took the liberty of making the key statement bold.
– user45590
Aug 11 '16 at 7:47
+1, In even the strictest jurisdictions for requiring employer accommodation of medical conditions, it all starts with disclosure to some company official of details of the condition and the requested accommodation. Otherwise OPs refusal is just insubordination.
– cdkMoose
Aug 11 '16 at 17:12
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
22
down vote
Are you under an obligation to tell your boss? No. But by the same token, your boss is under no obligation to accommodate your request without any knowledge of your reasoning.
From your boss's perspective, he's asking you to move apparently to make it easier to collaborate with the two other employees on a long-running project. A cold lasts a few days, maybe a week. Your colleagues are apparently more than halfway through the course of their illness, they apparently are well enough to come to work. So it seems perfectly reasonable for your boss to have you move. If you had moved before your colleagues got sick, presumably you wouldn't demand that your boss move you away from anyone that has been sick recently (and that probably wouldn't help since most illness are most communicable before the person feels bad).
If you want your boss to accommodate you because of your pregnancy-- either based on a legal requirement in your local jurisdiction or because you think your boss is a reasonable person that wants to work with you-- you pretty much have to disclose the pregnancy. If you're really concerned about sitting next to people that have been sick, presumably you'll be asking to be moved many times over the course of a 40 week pregnancy-- the people you're currently sitting next to are likely to get sick at some point. Given that you're planning on letting him know about the pregnancy in two weeks anyway, you may as well tell him a little early and see what you can work out.
If you really, really wanted to hold off disclosing the pregnancy to your boss while still trying to get some sort of accommodation, you could potentially get a doctor's note that says that you shouldn't sit near anyone that is recovering from illness due to an unspecified medical issue. That seems like a whole lot of work for a mere two week delay and would likely appear rather aggressive to your boss but it might work.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 2:55
Justin Cave
34.8k9112136
4
This is a very good answer. I took the liberty of making the key statement bold.
– user45590
Aug 11 '16 at 7:47
+1, In even the strictest jurisdictions for requiring employer accommodation of medical conditions, it all starts with disclosure to some company official of details of the condition and the requested accommodation. Otherwise OPs refusal is just insubordination.
– cdkMoose
Aug 11 '16 at 17:12
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
22
down vote
up vote
22
down vote
Are you under an obligation to tell your boss? No. But by the same token, your boss is under no obligation to accommodate your request without any knowledge of your reasoning.
From your boss's perspective, he's asking you to move apparently to make it easier to collaborate with the two other employees on a long-running project. A cold lasts a few days, maybe a week. Your colleagues are apparently more than halfway through the course of their illness, they apparently are well enough to come to work. So it seems perfectly reasonable for your boss to have you move. If you had moved before your colleagues got sick, presumably you wouldn't demand that your boss move you away from anyone that has been sick recently (and that probably wouldn't help since most illness are most communicable before the person feels bad).
If you want your boss to accommodate you because of your pregnancy-- either based on a legal requirement in your local jurisdiction or because you think your boss is a reasonable person that wants to work with you-- you pretty much have to disclose the pregnancy. If you're really concerned about sitting next to people that have been sick, presumably you'll be asking to be moved many times over the course of a 40 week pregnancy-- the people you're currently sitting next to are likely to get sick at some point. Given that you're planning on letting him know about the pregnancy in two weeks anyway, you may as well tell him a little early and see what you can work out.
If you really, really wanted to hold off disclosing the pregnancy to your boss while still trying to get some sort of accommodation, you could potentially get a doctor's note that says that you shouldn't sit near anyone that is recovering from illness due to an unspecified medical issue. That seems like a whole lot of work for a mere two week delay and would likely appear rather aggressive to your boss but it might work.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 2:55
Justin Cave
34.8k9112136
Are you under an obligation to tell your boss? No. But by the same token, your boss is under no obligation to accommodate your request without any knowledge of your reasoning.
From your boss's perspective, he's asking you to move apparently to make it easier to collaborate with the two other employees on a long-running project. A cold lasts a few days, maybe a week. Your colleagues are apparently more than halfway through the course of their illness, they apparently are well enough to come to work. So it seems perfectly reasonable for your boss to have you move. If you had moved before your colleagues got sick, presumably you wouldn't demand that your boss move you away from anyone that has been sick recently (and that probably wouldn't help since most illness are most communicable before the person feels bad).
If you want your boss to accommodate you because of your pregnancy-- either based on a legal requirement in your local jurisdiction or because you think your boss is a reasonable person that wants to work with you-- you pretty much have to disclose the pregnancy. If you're really concerned about sitting next to people that have been sick, presumably you'll be asking to be moved many times over the course of a 40 week pregnancy-- the people you're currently sitting next to are likely to get sick at some point. Given that you're planning on letting him know about the pregnancy in two weeks anyway, you may as well tell him a little early and see what you can work out.
If you really, really wanted to hold off disclosing the pregnancy to your boss while still trying to get some sort of accommodation, you could potentially get a doctor's note that says that you shouldn't sit near anyone that is recovering from illness due to an unspecified medical issue. That seems like a whole lot of work for a mere two week delay and would likely appear rather aggressive to your boss but it might work.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 2:55
Justin Cave
34.8k9112136
edited Aug 11 '16 at 7:11
user45590
answered Aug 11 '16 at 2:55
Justin Cave
34.8k9112136
answered Aug 11 '16 at 2:55
Justin Cave
34.8k9112136
answered Aug 11 '16 at 2:55
Justin Cave
34.8k9112136
34.8k9112136
4
This is a very good answer. I took the liberty of making the key statement bold.
– user45590
Aug 11 '16 at 7:47
+1, In even the strictest jurisdictions for requiring employer accommodation of medical conditions, it all starts with disclosure to some company official of details of the condition and the requested accommodation. Otherwise OPs refusal is just insubordination.
– cdkMoose
Aug 11 '16 at 17:12
suggest improvements |Â
4
This is a very good answer. I took the liberty of making the key statement bold.
– user45590
Aug 11 '16 at 7:47
+1, In even the strictest jurisdictions for requiring employer accommodation of medical conditions, it all starts with disclosure to some company official of details of the condition and the requested accommodation. Otherwise OPs refusal is just insubordination.
– cdkMoose
Aug 11 '16 at 17:12
4
4
This is a very good answer. I took the liberty of making the key statement bold.
– user45590
Aug 11 '16 at 7:47
This is a very good answer. I took the liberty of making the key statement bold.
– user45590
Aug 11 '16 at 7:47
+1, In even the strictest jurisdictions for requiring employer accommodation of medical conditions, it all starts with disclosure to some company official of details of the condition and the requested accommodation. Otherwise OPs refusal is just insubordination.
– cdkMoose
Aug 11 '16 at 17:12
+1, In even the strictest jurisdictions for requiring employer accommodation of medical conditions, it all starts with disclosure to some company official of details of the condition and the requested accommodation. Otherwise OPs refusal is just insubordination.
– cdkMoose
Aug 11 '16 at 17:12
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
4
down vote
If you want to persuade your manager you'll need to tell him something, but you don't need to tell him details you're not ready to share. The phrase "medical issues" is very helpful here:
Hey boss, could we delay that move for a week or so? I currently have some medical issues that are affecting my immune system and I'm concerned about that flu. Can we let it run its course first?
You just need to get through a couple more weeks until you can tell him the full reason, so saying "currently" signals that you're not going to be back in his office in a month because somebody else came down with a cold. By the time that happens, you two will be able to talk openly about your situation.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 15:21
Monica Cellio♦
43.6k17114191
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
4
down vote
If you want to persuade your manager you'll need to tell him something, but you don't need to tell him details you're not ready to share. The phrase "medical issues" is very helpful here:
Hey boss, could we delay that move for a week or so? I currently have some medical issues that are affecting my immune system and I'm concerned about that flu. Can we let it run its course first?
You just need to get through a couple more weeks until you can tell him the full reason, so saying "currently" signals that you're not going to be back in his office in a month because somebody else came down with a cold. By the time that happens, you two will be able to talk openly about your situation.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 15:21
Monica Cellio♦
43.6k17114191
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
4
down vote
up vote
4
down vote
If you want to persuade your manager you'll need to tell him something, but you don't need to tell him details you're not ready to share. The phrase "medical issues" is very helpful here:
Hey boss, could we delay that move for a week or so? I currently have some medical issues that are affecting my immune system and I'm concerned about that flu. Can we let it run its course first?
You just need to get through a couple more weeks until you can tell him the full reason, so saying "currently" signals that you're not going to be back in his office in a month because somebody else came down with a cold. By the time that happens, you two will be able to talk openly about your situation.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 15:21
Monica Cellio♦
43.6k17114191
If you want to persuade your manager you'll need to tell him something, but you don't need to tell him details you're not ready to share. The phrase "medical issues" is very helpful here:
Hey boss, could we delay that move for a week or so? I currently have some medical issues that are affecting my immune system and I'm concerned about that flu. Can we let it run its course first?
You just need to get through a couple more weeks until you can tell him the full reason, so saying "currently" signals that you're not going to be back in his office in a month because somebody else came down with a cold. By the time that happens, you two will be able to talk openly about your situation.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 15:21
Monica Cellio♦
43.6k17114191
answered Aug 11 '16 at 15:21
Monica Cellio♦
43.6k17114191
answered Aug 11 '16 at 15:21
Monica Cellio♦
43.6k17114191
answered Aug 11 '16 at 15:21
Monica Cellio♦
43.6k17114191
43.6k17114191
suggest improvements |Â
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
Personally I would tell my boss in confidence what the issue is and why you want to delay the move. Tell him, you haven't disclosed the pregnancy because you were not far enough along and you wanted to make sure the pregnancy was going to be maintained but the getting this illness could put you at risk for a miscarriage in this early stage (if that is a genuine risk, having not been pregnant, i don't know) or you could just get really sick and not be able to work at all for more than a week because you won't be able to mitigate the symptoms with drugs, so you would like to delay moving until the other workers are fully healthy. Ask him to keep the information private at this point and not tell the other employees as you are not far enough along yet for a general announcement.
It's not like you are ever going to be able to hide pregnancy, so you are going to have to bring it up at some point. If you feel your health or your baby's health is at risk in the move, this is that point. I understand why you don't want a general announcement until week 12, but your boss needs to know. Any reasonable boss would back off at this point and even unreasonable bosses wouldn't want to be sued if something happened.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 14:11
HLGEM
133k25226489
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
Personally I would tell my boss in confidence what the issue is and why you want to delay the move. Tell him, you haven't disclosed the pregnancy because you were not far enough along and you wanted to make sure the pregnancy was going to be maintained but the getting this illness could put you at risk for a miscarriage in this early stage (if that is a genuine risk, having not been pregnant, i don't know) or you could just get really sick and not be able to work at all for more than a week because you won't be able to mitigate the symptoms with drugs, so you would like to delay moving until the other workers are fully healthy. Ask him to keep the information private at this point and not tell the other employees as you are not far enough along yet for a general announcement.
It's not like you are ever going to be able to hide pregnancy, so you are going to have to bring it up at some point. If you feel your health or your baby's health is at risk in the move, this is that point. I understand why you don't want a general announcement until week 12, but your boss needs to know. Any reasonable boss would back off at this point and even unreasonable bosses wouldn't want to be sued if something happened.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 14:11
HLGEM
133k25226489
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
up vote
2
down vote
Personally I would tell my boss in confidence what the issue is and why you want to delay the move. Tell him, you haven't disclosed the pregnancy because you were not far enough along and you wanted to make sure the pregnancy was going to be maintained but the getting this illness could put you at risk for a miscarriage in this early stage (if that is a genuine risk, having not been pregnant, i don't know) or you could just get really sick and not be able to work at all for more than a week because you won't be able to mitigate the symptoms with drugs, so you would like to delay moving until the other workers are fully healthy. Ask him to keep the information private at this point and not tell the other employees as you are not far enough along yet for a general announcement.
It's not like you are ever going to be able to hide pregnancy, so you are going to have to bring it up at some point. If you feel your health or your baby's health is at risk in the move, this is that point. I understand why you don't want a general announcement until week 12, but your boss needs to know. Any reasonable boss would back off at this point and even unreasonable bosses wouldn't want to be sued if something happened.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 14:11
HLGEM
133k25226489
Personally I would tell my boss in confidence what the issue is and why you want to delay the move. Tell him, you haven't disclosed the pregnancy because you were not far enough along and you wanted to make sure the pregnancy was going to be maintained but the getting this illness could put you at risk for a miscarriage in this early stage (if that is a genuine risk, having not been pregnant, i don't know) or you could just get really sick and not be able to work at all for more than a week because you won't be able to mitigate the symptoms with drugs, so you would like to delay moving until the other workers are fully healthy. Ask him to keep the information private at this point and not tell the other employees as you are not far enough along yet for a general announcement.
It's not like you are ever going to be able to hide pregnancy, so you are going to have to bring it up at some point. If you feel your health or your baby's health is at risk in the move, this is that point. I understand why you don't want a general announcement until week 12, but your boss needs to know. Any reasonable boss would back off at this point and even unreasonable bosses wouldn't want to be sued if something happened.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 14:11
HLGEM
133k25226489
answered Aug 11 '16 at 14:11
HLGEM
133k25226489
answered Aug 11 '16 at 14:11
HLGEM
133k25226489
answered Aug 11 '16 at 14:11
HLGEM
133k25226489
133k25226489
suggest improvements |Â
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
Congratulations, Mom! Certainly take your boss aside and explain to him your specific reasoning. (And, ask him to keep it secret for now.) It makes perfect sense. I'm sure that your requests will be very quickly accommodated.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 14:15
Mike Robinson
1,9021410
You forgot to use the <sarcasm> tags, I guess the downvote came from that.
– Agent_L
Aug 11 '16 at 14:17
While this does answer the question, that's all it does. We are looking for answers that give explanation, reasoning, and support for your assertions. Additionally, this does not add anything new to the answers already given.
– David K
Aug 11 '16 at 14:18
I wasn't being sarcastic! This is wonderful news! However, the answer I think is simple. A long-winded explanation isn't needed. A mother-to-be has every reason to want to stay healthy especially if she considers her immune system to be weak. And I daresay that "explanation, reasoning, and support" isn't exactly necessary about such a human and obvious thing. If I were the boss, my immediate reaction would be the same: "Congratulations!! Of course... of course ... I'll take care of it right away. And I won't tell a soul until you do."
– Mike Robinson
Aug 11 '16 at 14:21
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
Congratulations, Mom! Certainly take your boss aside and explain to him your specific reasoning. (And, ask him to keep it secret for now.) It makes perfect sense. I'm sure that your requests will be very quickly accommodated.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 14:15
Mike Robinson
1,9021410
You forgot to use the <sarcasm> tags, I guess the downvote came from that.
– Agent_L
Aug 11 '16 at 14:17
While this does answer the question, that's all it does. We are looking for answers that give explanation, reasoning, and support for your assertions. Additionally, this does not add anything new to the answers already given.
– David K
Aug 11 '16 at 14:18
I wasn't being sarcastic! This is wonderful news! However, the answer I think is simple. A long-winded explanation isn't needed. A mother-to-be has every reason to want to stay healthy especially if she considers her immune system to be weak. And I daresay that "explanation, reasoning, and support" isn't exactly necessary about such a human and obvious thing. If I were the boss, my immediate reaction would be the same: "Congratulations!! Of course... of course ... I'll take care of it right away. And I won't tell a soul until you do."
– Mike Robinson
Aug 11 '16 at 14:21
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
up vote
-1
down vote
Congratulations, Mom! Certainly take your boss aside and explain to him your specific reasoning. (And, ask him to keep it secret for now.) It makes perfect sense. I'm sure that your requests will be very quickly accommodated.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 14:15
Mike Robinson
1,9021410
Congratulations, Mom! Certainly take your boss aside and explain to him your specific reasoning. (And, ask him to keep it secret for now.) It makes perfect sense. I'm sure that your requests will be very quickly accommodated.
answered Aug 11 '16 at 14:15
Mike Robinson
1,9021410
answered Aug 11 '16 at 14:15
Mike Robinson
1,9021410
answered Aug 11 '16 at 14:15
Mike Robinson
1,9021410
answered Aug 11 '16 at 14:15
Mike Robinson
1,9021410
1,9021410
You forgot to use the <sarcasm> tags, I guess the downvote came from that.
– Agent_L
Aug 11 '16 at 14:17
While this does answer the question, that's all it does. We are looking for answers that give explanation, reasoning, and support for your assertions. Additionally, this does not add anything new to the answers already given.
– David K
Aug 11 '16 at 14:18
I wasn't being sarcastic! This is wonderful news! However, the answer I think is simple. A long-winded explanation isn't needed. A mother-to-be has every reason to want to stay healthy especially if she considers her immune system to be weak. And I daresay that "explanation, reasoning, and support" isn't exactly necessary about such a human and obvious thing. If I were the boss, my immediate reaction would be the same: "Congratulations!! Of course... of course ... I'll take care of it right away. And I won't tell a soul until you do."
– Mike Robinson
Aug 11 '16 at 14:21
suggest improvements |Â
You forgot to use the <sarcasm> tags, I guess the downvote came from that.
– Agent_L
Aug 11 '16 at 14:17
While this does answer the question, that's all it does. We are looking for answers that give explanation, reasoning, and support for your assertions. Additionally, this does not add anything new to the answers already given.
– David K
Aug 11 '16 at 14:18
I wasn't being sarcastic! This is wonderful news! However, the answer I think is simple. A long-winded explanation isn't needed. A mother-to-be has every reason to want to stay healthy especially if she considers her immune system to be weak. And I daresay that "explanation, reasoning, and support" isn't exactly necessary about such a human and obvious thing. If I were the boss, my immediate reaction would be the same: "Congratulations!! Of course... of course ... I'll take care of it right away. And I won't tell a soul until you do."
– Mike Robinson
Aug 11 '16 at 14:21
You forgot to use the <sarcasm> tags, I guess the downvote came from that.
– Agent_L
Aug 11 '16 at 14:17
You forgot to use the <sarcasm> tags, I guess the downvote came from that.
– Agent_L
Aug 11 '16 at 14:17
While this does answer the question, that's all it does. We are looking for answers that give explanation, reasoning, and support for your assertions. Additionally, this does not add anything new to the answers already given.
– David K
Aug 11 '16 at 14:18
While this does answer the question, that's all it does. We are looking for answers that give explanation, reasoning, and support for your assertions. Additionally, this does not add anything new to the answers already given.
– David K
Aug 11 '16 at 14:18
I wasn't being sarcastic! This is wonderful news! However, the answer I think is simple. A long-winded explanation isn't needed. A mother-to-be has every reason to want to stay healthy especially if she considers her immune system to be weak. And I daresay that "explanation, reasoning, and support" isn't exactly necessary about such a human and obvious thing. If I were the boss, my immediate reaction would be the same: "Congratulations!! Of course... of course ... I'll take care of it right away. And I won't tell a soul until you do."
– Mike Robinson
Aug 11 '16 at 14:21
I wasn't being sarcastic! This is wonderful news! However, the answer I think is simple. A long-winded explanation isn't needed. A mother-to-be has every reason to want to stay healthy especially if she considers her immune system to be weak. And I daresay that "explanation, reasoning, and support" isn't exactly necessary about such a human and obvious thing. If I were the boss, my immediate reaction would be the same: "Congratulations!! Of course... of course ... I'll take care of it right away. And I won't tell a soul until you do."
– Mike Robinson
Aug 11 '16 at 14:21
suggest improvements |Â
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1
I think the answer to this question will depend on the laws of your local jurisdiction. Where I live we have what is called "at will employment.". That means I can be fired at any time without notice or cause. IANL but in my state i think your boss could decide to let you go if you refuse to move.
– Lumberjack
Aug 11 '16 at 2:26
1
"don't feel that it is an obligation to tell a work colleague (even if they are my boss)" - It's not an obligation but it would grease the wheels and most likely avoid resentment your boss might otherwise have. For the sake of just 2 weeks, why not just tell him?
– colmde
Aug 11 '16 at 8:18
7
Off-topic, but possibly helpful: I don't think the infection risk is as great as you seem to fear, at least not with a common cold. Have you discussed your concerns with your physician or midwife? They may help you to find a reasonable accomodation.
– sleske
Aug 11 '16 at 8:21
4
Most illnesses are most contagious BEFORE symptoms appear.
– Agent_L
Aug 11 '16 at 14:16
3
@JoeStrazzere 12 weeks is the point at which the risk of miscarriage goes down significantly (or at least is a threshold after which they are less common-perhaps the date turns out to be coincidental), so it's not uncommon for people to not share about a pregnancy until after that point
– Eric Renouf
Aug 11 '16 at 14:32