Can you be fired for failing to disclose a pregnancy during an interview?

California and federal laws protect you from discrimination during the hiring period. Unfortunately, that means you have a remedy if you’re passed over for a job based on pregnancy alone. It can be tough to prove, so many women try to keep that information to themselves until they have a job.

That’s okay! You don’t have to tell potential employers that you’re pregnant, and they can’t hold it against you later. They can’t fire you for failing to disclose that information during an interview. However, there are related issues that might cause trouble down the road.

Should you hide a pregnancy during an interview?

It’s not illegal for a potential employer to ask you if you’re pregnant. Hiding a pregnancy gives your potential employer the chance to evaluate you without taking that information into account, which would be illegal.

If you’re worried about lying to an interviewer, you may want to steer conversations away from thorny topics. It becomes harder if you’re asked point-blank about pregnancy, but for example, if an interviewer asks if you’ve heard about a company’s on-site daycare program, you can potentially head off the topic by asking about other benefits the company provides.

Can you get fired for being single and pregnant?

Surprisingly, employment law does allow certain types of discrimination when there’s a religious conflict. For Christian companies, evidence of premarital sex might be grounds for firing an employee. However, you can sue the company if they treat single moms differently than single dads.

Pregnant women shouldn’t have to face discrimination in the workplace. All parents deserve a chance to provide for their families, and employers are not allowed to consider pregnancy in hiring or firing decisions.