6 Things to Do When You're Laid Off While Pregnant
This whole year has had many ups and downs for me. However, today, I’m sharing what God called me to share. I believe He puts me through things to help people who might eventually go through the same thing or something similar. I was laid off in late July, so I’ve been unemployed for five months. When I was laid off, I was not surprised; I have said plenty of times I felt like my time at the company was about to end. I worked for a small tech company, so employee retention was low. Plus, whenever you log into LinkedIn, you’re frequently reminded that layoffs are constantly happening significantly in the tech industry, which made me question if I was next in line to lose my job. However, I didn’t expect it to happen while I was pregnant, though I wasn’t surprised since this happens to many expecting parents.
Being laid off while expanding a family is the last thing anyone wants. It made me truly see how employers do not care about you as a person. They only care about what you can do for their company. With the current climate of the economy, everyone is only thinking for themselves. I’m currently in multiple pregnancy groups on Facebook; the amount of pregnant women who have been fired or laid off is absurd. Many women have also stated how their significant others have lost their jobs and how they are stressed about paying their bills. I remember telling my former coworker I was nervous to tell my boss I was pregnant; she responded, “Why would you be nervous?” Well, we see where I am at now. Also, let me state that you do not need to tell your employer that you’re pregnant. America is one of the worst countries to be an expectant parent; the maternity/paternity leave is crap. There are a lot of countries that offer more than six months of PAID leave. In America, you’re lucky if you get six weeks of non-paid maternity/paternity leave. Of course, one would worry how their current employer would react to the news that they’re expecting a child. One day, the boss may congratulate you, and the next, they could send you end-of-relationship papers due to “business requirements.”
Cue in the people saying, “This is why you should prepare to have a child.” Yes, it’s a no-brainer to have a saving or an emergency fund for rainy days like this. However, it’s easier said than done. I have always been a planner, and every time I swing for the best - life pitches a curve ball. I was doing those things, trying to be financially stable, paying off my debt, and saving for an emergency. My goal for 2023 was to end the year debt-free, and I was so close!! Then came the positive pregnancy test. Before I was laid off, I worried about how I would pay bills during my maternity leave and afford childcare. After being laid off, I constantly worried about everything. From experience, I know I can’t sit and dwell forever; I have to get up and get things done. Here are six things to do when you lose your job while pregnant.
apply for benefits
Do not waste any time and apply for any benefits you think you are eligible for; UI benefit, Medicaid, WIC, SNAP/TANF, etc. Look into any additional local assistance programs that help with paying utility bills. One that I use is the ACP program that helps cut down your wifi bill; I had this since last year! Thanks to the ACP program, my wifi bill is $25 when it could easily be $70. Apply for benefits immediately because it can take time to be approved and receive them. I remember crying because my Medicaid took forever to be approved - it took over a month even though I was pregnant, which counts as an emergency to be approved quicker. I applied for WIC and SNAP before I was laid off; I wasn’t lying when I said I saw it coming. Sadly, I wasn’t approved for SNAP; South Carolina makes it damn near impossible to be approved. WIC is for pregnant/nursing women, infants, and children under five years old, so you can still be working and get WIC, which many people do not know! Also, don’t feel bad that you need benefits whether you’re unemployed or working. If you’ve ever paid taxes then you’re entitled to receive benefits!
2. Grieve Your Past Job and Breathe
Now that you have applied for benefits, it’s time to try and relax because I know that was a lot of work, and you’re not done yet! Breathe. At least take a day before jumping into doing any other activities. I caught myself crying on and off for a while. My husband tried his best to cheer me up, but It was hard for me to think positively. However, that’s what you need to try and do during this challenging time because you’re pregnant. An overwhelming amount of stress can be harmful to you and the baby. Let go of your past job; for me, this was deleting documents, videos, graphics, and apps that were taking up space on my laptop and phone. Grieving the loss of your job takes time, and it’s hard to adjust to unemployment. Do something that helps you navigate your emotions. I remember going to the chiropractor three hours after I was laid off, and he asked how I was doing; I was honest and told him I was just laid off, haha. I didn’t want to say I was okay because I wasn’t - I was crying driving there. I wanted him to adjust my back so well that I would forget what transpired a few hours ago. So be honest with how you feel; try not to bottle up your feelings, write them down, or talk with someone to process your thoughts and emotions.
3. Contact a lawyer
If you have the energy, contact a lawyer to read any documents before signing them. This is the time to see if you can negotiate severance pay or if you have a case if you feel you were wrongly fired. I no longer had the energy or mental capacity to go through all this; I wanted to quickly move on from the job to save myself more stress, but I highly recommend doing this.
4. Update your resume and apply to jobs
Now, it’s time to update your resume. I made three resumes for three job positions since I have experience in Marketing, Customer Success, and Sales. I only applied for a few job listings(less than 20) back in August because I kept thinking how hard it would be to get a job since I was due soon and thought it was best to wait until closer to my due date to apply to more jobs. I recommend applying to many jobs, even if you’re close to your due date. The reason why I say this is because the hiring process can take time. Some employers might not even start the process until a later date. Two jobs I applied to in August reached out for an interview. One job didn’t start until January, which was noted in the job posting. So that’s another thing you can do - apply to jobs that don’t start until after you give birth or negotiate a start date! The job I received an offer from didn’t start the hiring process until October. It took a month to get the job offer. I told them I was pregnant before signing the offer since the start date was November 13th, and I was due November 20th. You can choose to be honest upfront or choose to tell them after you sign the offer. I decided to do it once I was offered the job(before I signed the offer letter) because I didn’t want to leave a sour taste in anyone’s mouth. The company determined to let me start in January; this gave me time with my child before I started.
5. Try Your Best to Enjoy Your Pregnancy and Ask For Help if You Need It
I know it’s hard, but try to enjoy your pregnancy. This time should be a beautiful moment in your life. Growing a child is already hard enough. I made it a goal to do the things I wanted to do. The last thing I wanted was to look back at this time and regret not taking pictures or videos while pregnant because I was too stressed and depressed due to being unemployed. Plus, I don’t know if this will be my last child. I did fun pregnancy videos and was even offered a free maternity shoot, which I’m grateful for. The photographer didn’t even know I was unemployed, and I wanted to do a maternity shoot this time around since I didn’t with my first child.
6. Ask For Help If You Need It
Don’t forget to ask for help when you need it. I know it’s tough to ask, but it can make a difference! I didn’t have a baby shower but posted my baby registry online, and a few friends and even strangers bought our baby gifts. It wasn’t a lot, but a little goes a long way, and I’m so grateful that they felt it in their hearts to give!
This period in my life has done nothing but made me stronger and confirm that I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me! I was told to hurry up and get a job since I was pregnant but I kept telling myself that I didn’t want just any job, I wanted the job that I prayed for! Just like how I got my first “big girl job” in 2021 when I had nothing to my name and was living with my family, is exactly how I got this job - by believing in myself and God! I knew God would open a door for me. I’m grateful that since I was working on my finances before I was laid off that this time wasn’t super hard, I had money saved up, it wasn’t a lot but enough! I had stocks and a good credit score to utilize! I also had my husband, who was calm through it all, having a partner that stays calm and not stressed out during a difficult time like this is important(he could’ve been but he didn’t show it or say it). He was also the one that told me to not go out and just get any job and to get the job I wanted!
If you’re pregnant or not and just recently lost your job, know that God will do the same for you as long as you believe in yourself and do the work! He will open a better door for you! He closed that door because it was time to move on to bigger and better things! Even if you’re single or the sole provider for your family and can’t wait around, do what needs to be done for the time being but know that better things are coming. Rainy days don’t last forever!!