Vault: She's Afraid To Tell Her Employer She's Pregnant

Summary

The Bert Show — Vault: She's Afraid To Tell Her Employer She's Pregnant (Feb 25, 2026)

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Episode Overview

In this episode, The Bert Show team discusses the sensitive topic of pregnancy disclosure in the workplace, focusing on a listener who is afraid to tell her employer she’s pregnant. The hosts and callers share personal stories, legal perspectives, and explore the realities and stigmas women face regarding pregnancy at work. The conversation touches on employment law, discrimination, health insurance complications, and societal attitudes, creating a nuanced look at why many women feel compelled to hide their pregnancies from employers.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Listener’s Situation & Initial Reactions

• [02:00] Co-host Holly introduces the listener’s issue: she's pregnant, feels she needs to hide it from her employer, and is unsure of her rights.
• The show expresses appreciation that listeners feel comfortable bringing these types of personal and legal questions to them.

“You don't have to have crazy problems. You just have a question you can't answer. We're your birdapedia.” — Co-Host or Expert [02:42]

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2. Personal Stories: Job Loss & Health Insurance Impact

• [02:49] Caller shares her experience: She told her employer about her pregnancy and was laid off the following week, losing her health insurance during her pregnancy.
  • She warns others of the potential consequences of disclosure, especially in “right to work” states.
  • Discussion about Georgia as a "no fault" or at-will employment state, allowing employers to fire employees without giving a specific reason.

“I decided to tell them. And the next week I was laid off. And I was left throughout my whole pregnancy with no health insurance.” — Caller [02:49]

• [04:24] Caller highlights difficulties in obtaining new health insurance due to pregnancy being considered a pre-existing condition at the time, making Medicaid the only option.

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3. The Reality of Pregnancy Discrimination

• Hosts discuss how employers often view pregnant employees as problematic due to anticipated absences and the need for maternity leave.
• Hosts speculate that some companies might avoid hiring women of childbearing age altogether, leading to discriminatory practices.

“Unfortunately, I think too many companies see women who are pregnant as a problem.” — Co-Host Bert [04:54]

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4. Societal and Gendered Workplace Challenges

• [06:03] They note the double standard when it comes to leave for new fathers versus new mothers.
  • Male hosts recount their own (limited) paternity leave experiences, often met with little support or encouragement.

“They'll pat the guy in the back like, congratulations on the new kid or whatever. But somebody had to have that kid. … I think it's so unfair.” — Co-Host Bert [06:03]

• Discussion on the persistent greater obstacles women face in the workforce.

“Is it harder to be a guy or is it harder to be a woman? Oh, man, it's not even close, dude. It's so much harder to be a woman.” — Co-Host Holly [06:17]

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5. The Legal Perspective: Rights, Protections, and Loopholes

• [08:11] Caller Kate (voice disguised) clarifies:
  • Not hiring women because they could get pregnant is illegal.
  • The HIPAA law protects medical privacy; employees are not required to disclose pregnancy.
  • "Right to work" (at-will employment) still allows claims if discrimination is provable.
  • COBRA and other options exist to continue insurance after job loss, but pre-existing condition penalties and gaps can punish pregnant women.

“You don't have to tell them ... HIPAA protects you from telling them it's a medical condition.” — Kate, Caller [09:39]

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6. Real-World Discriminatory Hiring Practices

• [10:22] Caller “John” (voice disguised): Shares that his boss instructed him to hire only post-menopausal women to avoid potential maternity leaves, regardless of skills or qualifications.
  • The hosts express shock and frustration at this blatant discrimination.
  • Acknowledgment this is not an isolated case, but rather a systemic issue in some businesses.

“I was told ... that I could not hire anyone younger, anyone that could still potentially have a [child]. I had to hire an older lady that was like post menopausal.” — Caller John [10:45]

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7. High-Profile Example & Societal Implications

• Hosts bring up Sarah Palin, who reportedly hid her pregnancy while serving as Alaska governor, only announcing it in her seventh month and returning to work three days after giving birth.
  • Raises questions about pressure on women to “minimize” pregnancy at work and the unrealistic expectations it can create for others.

“Sarah Palin was back on Friday. She delivered on Tuesday. Three days.” — Co-Host or Expert [12:21]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I'm always torn here because we've heard that Georgia is one of those no fault states ... but in a case like this, it sure seems like that wouldn't be legal.” — Co-Host Holly [03:20]
• “Especially now ... it's like a buyer's market. Unemployment is high, there's a lot of people available for jobs ... You could probably be that picky if you were that much of a…” — Co-Host or Expert [05:38]
• "You made the right call... If it's your wife's first kid, go plan on a week (off work). Don't be dumb." — Co-Host or Expert [07:29]
• “So you have to hire—basically what they're saying is: hire the less qualified, non-fertile woman than the woman that could help our business.” — Co-Host Holly [10:56]
• Laughter and light moments interspersed with a serious tone when discussing rights and real stories of discrimination.

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Important Timestamps

• [02:00] – Listener’s situation introduced; beginning of main discussion.
• [02:49] – First real-life story of job loss after revealing pregnancy.
• [04:24] – Explanation of insurance issues and Medicaid options.
• [06:03-06:17] – Gender double standards at work; personal stories from hosts.
• [08:11] – Legal insights on rights, HIPAA, and insurance.
• [10:22] – Caller “John” describes direct discriminatory hiring orders from his boss.
• [11:38] – Discussion of Sarah Palin’s concealed pregnancy and rapid return to work.

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Conclusion: Episode Takeaways

• The episode powerfully showcases how fear of discrimination leads some women to hide pregnancies at work.
• Pregnant employees are legally protected, but loopholes and at-will employment can be used against them.
• Health insurance complexities and out-of-date policies create additional hardship for expectant mothers.
• Real stories and listener calls reinforce that gender-based discrimination is far from rare, even as it often goes unspoken.
• Societal expectations and cultural narratives, like the discussion around Sarah Palin, fuel unrealistic pressures on working mothers.

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Listeners are left with a greater understanding of the difficult choices women face about pregnancy in the workplace and the need for ongoing conversations about fairness and legal protections.

Transcript

[Radio Host]

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[Co-Host Bert]

we're lost. I'm going to pull over and ask that man for directions.

[Co-Host Holly]

Hi there.

[Co-Host Bert]

We're looking to get to the campground.

[Radio Host]

Well, you're going to take a left at the old oak tree end of this here road. No, I'm just kidding. Let me get my phone out.

[Co-Host Bert]

How are you getting a signal out here?

[Radio Host]

T Mobile and US Cellular decided to merge. So the network out here is huge. We're getting the same great signal as the city and saving a boatload with all the benefits. Oh, and a five year price guarantee. Okay, here's those directions.

[Co-Host Bert]

Actually, can you point us in the direction of a T Mobile store?

[Radio Host]

America's best network just got bigger. Switch to T Mobile today and get built in benefits the other guys leave out. Plus our five year price guarantee.

[Caller or Guest]

And now T Mobile is available in US Cellular stores.

[Radio Host]

Best Mobile network Based on analysis by Oogle of Speedtest Intelligence data 2H2025 bigger network the combination of T Mobile's and US Cellular's network footprints will enhance the T Mobile network's coverage price guarantee on talk text and data exclusions like taxes and fees apply. CT T mobile.com for details the Burt

[Co-Host Holly]

Show Birch Show Listener she's pregnant and for whatever reason she feels the need to hide her pregnancy from her employer and she's wondering if there's anything illegal about that. So I'm not exactly sure what the details are, but we are hoping to get her on here in just a couple of seconds.

[Co-Host Bert]

Okay.

[Co-Host or Expert]

I'm just fascinated that and love the fact that our listeners, whenever they have a random question, like, you know, there's like, she probably had that conversation with her sister or husband or whoever. Whoever she was talking to about it and said, God, I don't know this answer. I mean, what do I. Should I call a lawyer? I mean, that's gonna cost me 200 bucks an hour or whatever. Called the Bird show.

[Co-Host Holly]

I'm glad they do.

[Co-Host or Expert]

Yeah. All right. And then they write an email like that. We should have that.

[Co-Host Bert]

It's free.

[Co-Host Holly]

Yeah.

[Co-Host or Expert]

You don't have to have crazy problems. You just have a question you can't answer. We're your birdapedia.

[Co-Host Holly]

Hey, Holly, you're on Q100.

[Caller or Guest]

Hey. I was actually in a situation five years ago and I was pregnant and I was debating whether or not to tell my employer. I had great health insurance with Blue Cross and I decided to tell them. And the next week I was laid off. And I was left throughout my whole pregnancy with no health insurance. So that really stunk. So for that. Cause I would say I probably wouldn't tell him.

[Co-Host Holly]

We gotta get our HR guy on. Our overly enthusiastic HR guy on.

[Co-Host or Expert]

He's already dialing.

[Co-Host Holly]

He's already dialing.

[Co-Host or Expert]

I'm sure.

[Co-Host Holly]

Cause it's. I know I'm always torn here because we've heard that Georgia is one of those no fault states where they can pretty much let you go for just about anything. Yeah. But in a case like this, it sure seems like that wouldn't be legal.

[Co-Host or Expert]

But all they have to do is find another. What the right to work rule means, because this is just clarified for me, like within the past couple weeks is some states you actually have to. Like there has to be a procedure for terminating someone where you almost have to document it and leave like a paper trail and say, okay, Bert, you showed up late twice last week, so you send it to them in writing and you notify them and then boom. And you have to be terminated for that reason to be fired. And then when you're in a right to work state, which also means a right to be told not to work, then they don't have to do that documentation. So while legally you probably can't be fired for being pregnant, if she shows up five minutes late one day, he can say, hey, we can't have this kind of tardiness and let her go. And then she doesn't have a basis to come back and go. Other employees are late five Minutes. That doesn't matter.

[Caller or Guest]

They didn't have a reason either. They just said business was slow. But you know, another thing that really stunk and I don't know if many people know this, but you know, when you're pregnant and you have health insurance and someone lays you off, it's pre existing. You can't go anywhere and get health insurance. And the only insurance that you know you're able to get, besides nothing would be Medicaid. So the situation was terrible.

[Co-Host Bert]

So, yeah, I'm sorry about that.

[Co-Host Holly]

Yeah. And I'm sure this is the only case of that.

[Caller or Guest]

Oh, no, I hope nothing like that happens.

[Co-Host Bert]

Try to get around that, you know, get pregnant, get pregnant, have these, this, these issue, depending on who they work for. Because a lot of companies don't like the idea of having a pregnant employee because they know that either, you know, there's going to be problems. There may be days that they may not be able to come in and then they want maternity leave and they just. Unfortunately, I think too many companies see women who are pregnant as a problem.

[Co-Host Holly]

I wonder if there's anybody listening right now that would call up and we'll put you on the voice disguise or man or woman that just won't hire women for this reason.

[Co-Host Bert]

Mm. I'm sure we'll get calls and again,

[Co-Host Holly]

we'll put you on the voice disguiser. No one's gonna know who you are. And I think the more shocking call is to hear a woman call up to probably say, yeah, I'm sorry, but I wouldn't hire another woman because I can't afford to lose her for any amount of time like that.

[Co-Host or Expert]

Especially now when, if you're in a hiring position, it's like a buyer's market. Unemployment is high, there's a lot of people available for jobs, and everybody's looking for a job that pays more money. You could probably be that picky if you were that much of a.

[Co-Host Holly]

You probably could.

[Co-Host or Expert]

And you might justify it by saying, look, business is tough, so I can't have a manager who a year from now is going to be taking six months off or three months. How long is maternity leave?

[Co-Host Bert]

I don't know, three months. But then they'll pat the guy in the back like, congratulations on the new kid or whatever. But somebody had to have that kid. So, yeah, I just, I think it's so unfair. And I think it's another, you know, sometimes another obstacle to throwing a woman's shoulders when she's trying to be in the workforce.

[Co-Host Holly]

You know, we've We've had this debate on the show before. Is it harder to be a guy or is it harder to be a woman? Oh, man, it's not even close, dude. It's so much harder to be a woman.

[Co-Host Bert]

Yeah.

[Co-Host Holly]

And this is. This is just. We would never come on today, or maybe we will later and go, okay. What? Tell us why you won't hire guys.

[Co-Host Bert]

Mm.

[Co-Host or Expert]

Did you take maternity leave when either of your kids were born?

[Co-Host Holly]

Didn't I take, like a couple of days?

[Co-Host or Expert]

Yeah, but, like, don't you get. You get a two weeks or something like that if you wanted to?

[Co-Host Holly]

They. When I told our boss at the time that I was gonna take a couple of days off, this is a guy that had a couple of kids. And he sort of laughed at me about it. He said, yeah, go ahead, take the days if you want, but I'm telling you right now, you don't need them. I'm like, what do you mean I don't need them? He's like, I'm telling you, dude, there's just not a lot for you to do. Just go ahead, take your days. If you really think you need that bonding time with your kids, go ahead and do it. But look, you don't do it. Your wife is there. That's what he said. Your wife is there, your mother in law is there. They're not even gonna let you touch the baby. But go ahead and take the days. If.

[Co-Host or Expert]

How many times has he been married?

[Co-Host Holly]

I think he's been married a couple of times.

[Co-Host or Expert]

There you go. You made the right call. I think when Hayden was born, you were gone like a week. Whatever day of the week you were.

[Co-Host Bert]

Four days.

[Co-Host Holly]

Yeah. Remember, he was born premature and he was in ICU also, so that changed the game a little bit.

[Co-Host or Expert]

But I know when Hollis was born, it was less time.

[Co-Host Holly]

Yes.

[Co-Host or Expert]

But I think if it's. Guys, don't listen to what Bert just said. If it's your wife's first kid, go plan on a week.

[Co-Host Bert]

Don't be dumb.

[Co-Host or Expert]

Yeah, she delivers on a Tuesday. Just tell you guys, you'll see them on Monday.

[Co-Host Holly]

Go, go.

[Co-Host Bert]

Yes.

[Co-Host Holly]

And by the way, as a side note, the boss was pretty much right.

[Co-Host or Expert]

Oh, yeah.

[Co-Host Holly]

I mean, my wife wouldn't let me touch the kid, and my mother in law was like, get out of the way. I got. I got business to do here. Go to game from 1992.

[Co-Host or Expert]

But you know the situation if you didn't take any time off.

[Co-Host Holly]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. It wasn't even a question. I mean, I wanted to be There, those are days you don't want to miss. First couple of days of hanging out with your kid, you know. Let's talk to Kate. Who wants to be on the voice disguiser?

[Radio Host]

Go ahead.

[Co-Host Holly]

Kate, you're on Q100.

[Caller or Guest]

Hey, good morning.

[Radio Host]

Good morning.

[Co-Host Holly]

You are on the voice disguiser.

[Caller or Guest]

Oh, thank you. I just wanted to comment on the employers that first of all, of course they're being illegal by not hiring someone that's a woman because they could get pregnant. But it's also, you know, the young lady said earlier she couldn't get insurance because of the pre existing condition. That's not true either.

[Co-Host Bert]

Now it's easier, I think, only if

[Caller or Guest]

you lapse in your insurance. There's COBRA and things like that employers have to offer.

[Co-Host or Expert]

Right.

[Caller or Guest]

So. But hiding it from your employer, you know, that's. You don't have to tell them it's a, you know, HIPAA protects you from telling them it's a medical condition.

[Co-Host Holly]

That is not grounds for dismissal itself though. Right.

[Caller or Guest]

If he finds out, no, you cannot say you're pregnant, you're gone. No, you cannot say that.

[Radio Host]

No.

[Caller or Guest]

But is the highest a right to work state too is. You still have to be with that. They can still, you know, you can still come back and say, well, they did fire me because it was a woman. The young lady that said she got laid off afterwards, I'd have got an attorney.

[Co-Host Bert]

You know, it's easy to. There are things in place and the pre existing conditions, a whole separate issue. And yes, you can get insurance, but a lot of times you are punished for having a pre existing condition condition with insurance. And you know, I think that. And I lost my point. I just lost my thought. I was going up, I was going up the hill and then I just fell over the side.

[Co-Host or Expert]

The skateboard's rolling down without you on it.

[Co-Host Bert]

Now you know how my handlebars were kind of shaky.

[Co-Host Holly]

It'll hit you about 9:15. We'll be talking about something totally different.

[Co-Host Bert]

Exactly.

[Co-Host or Expert]

I know a small business who. They hired a woman and the woman did not tell. And is Kate still on her. She gone? I would be interested to know the answer to this, but the woman, when she got hired, was pregnant and didn't reveal that.

[Co-Host Bert]

Okay.

[Co-Host or Expert]

And it didn't come up. So then like three months into her new job, she's like, oh, I just want to let you know, I'm four months pregnant. So now she's on board with them. They're required to give her maternity leave and she is on their insurance now.

[Co-Host Holly]

Hey, John. John, go ahead. You're on the voice disguiser.

[Caller or Guest]

Hey. I just started doing the hiring of my job. I'm only 24. I'm just kind of working my way up in the professional world. And I was told that strictly I'm gonna hire a lady for one of the offices, that I could not hire anyone younger, anyone that could still potentially have a get. I had to hire an older lady that was like post menopausal.

[Co-Host or Expert]

Oh, my God.

[Co-Host Holly]

Seriously? They told. They straight up told you that?

[Caller or Guest]

My boss sat me down and told me to. Absolutely. And it sucks because, like, you know, I mean, I see a lot of potential candidates that would rock, but nope.

[Co-Host Holly]

So you have to hire. Basically what they're saying is hire the less qualified, non fertile, non fertile woman than the woman that could help our business.

[Caller or Guest]

Absolutely. And a lot of them don't have computer skills. I mean, they're not being, you know, they're not fresh out of college or school where computers are a part of their everyday life. You know, I'm getting hurt because I gotta hire someone.

[Co-Host or Expert]

I understand, but the boss would rather take the pay the money or put the manpower into the extra training that comes with the older person than they would risking somebody being offered 90 days because they delivered a kid and have to stay home for a couple months.

[Co-Host Holly]

And there were plenty of calls like that one. There were plenty. There wasn't just one.

[Co-Host or Expert]

I wonder if this is a different question for a different time, but I wonder if there are any women out there. I gotta find this article that I read yesterday, but it's basically the chronology of Sarah Palin's pregnancy with her last child and how she hid it from her, from everybody for six months, even

[Co-Host Holly]

the closest advisors to her, and told

[Co-Host or Expert]

her staff, like on the seventh month and all this other stuff, hid the whole thing, and then went back to work. Three or four days after she delivered the baby, she was back in the governor's office doing meetings and stuff. Think there's any women mad at her

[Co-Host Holly]

because she went back so quickly?

[Co-Host or Expert]

Right. Because now if you're a man mad

[Co-Host Bert]

at her today for trying to do what she's doing.

[Co-Host or Expert]

So if you're a male boss, if you work for a male boss and you're delivering a baby and this boss knows about Sarah Palin and is like, well, wait a minute. You're going to take a month off, you're going to take two months off, you're going to take 12 weeks off. Sarah Palin was back on Friday. She delivered on Tuesday. Three days.

[Radio Host]

The birch show we're lost.

[Co-Host Bert]

I'm gonna pull over and ask that man for directions.

[Co-Host Holly]

Hi there.

[Co-Host Bert]

We're looking to get to the campground.

[Radio Host]

Well, you're gonna take a left at the old oak tree end of this here road. No, I'm just kidding. Let me get my phone out.

[Co-Host Bert]

How are you getting a signal out here?

[Radio Host]

T Mobile and US Cellular decided to merge, so the network out here is huge. We're getting the same great signal as the city and saving a boatload with all the benefits. Oh, and a five year price guarantee. Okay, here's those directions.

[Co-Host Bert]

Actually, can you point us in the direction of a T Mobile store?

[Radio Host]

America's best network just got bigger. Switch to T Mobile today and get built in benefits the other guys leave out. Plus our five year price guarantee.

[Caller or Guest]

And now T Mobile is available in US Cellular stores.

[Radio Host]

Best mobile network based on analysis by Ookle of Speed test intelligence data at 2H2025 bigger network. The combination of T mobiles and US cellular network footprints will enhance the T Mobile network's coverage price guarantee on talk text and data exclusions like taxes and fees apply. See t mobile.com for details.

[Co-Host Bert]

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[Co-Host Holly]

Hi there.

[Co-Host Bert]

We're looking to get to the campground.

[Radio Host]

Well, you're going to take a left at the old oak tree end of this here road. No, I'm just kidding. Let me get my phone out.

[Co-Host Bert]

How are you getting a signal out here?

[Radio Host]

T Mobile and US Cellular decided to merge. So the network out here is huge. Getting the same great signal as the city and saving a boatload with all the benefits. Oh, and a five year price guarantee. Okay, here's those directions.

[Co-Host Bert]

Actually, can you point us in the direction of a T Mobile store?

[Radio Host]

America's best network just got bigger. Switch to T Mobile today and get built in benefits the other guys leave out. Plus our five year price guarantee.

[Caller or Guest]

And now T Mobile is available in US Cellular store.

[Radio Host]

Best mobile network based on analysis by Oogle of Speed test intelligence data. 2H 2025 bigger network. The combination of T Mobile's and US Cellular's network footprints will enhance the T Mobile Network's coverage price guarantee on talk, text and data exclusions like taxes and fees apply. See t mobile.com for details.