How to tell your boss you're pregnant

Telling work can feel bigger than telling family. It goes more smoothly with a plan: when to tell, what to say, and what to put in writing afterwards. Below are templates you can copy, for both of you.

For the family announcement, labor updates and visitor messages, see our guide to telling family and work.

There's no single right time. Many people wait until after their first-trimester scan. Some tell earlier, because they need time off for appointments or changes at work.

What matters most are your leave notice rules. These depend on where you live and on your employer:

• US: if you qualify for FMLA, you can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave. When the leave is foreseeable, you generally must give 30 days' notice, or as soon as you can if that isn't possible. Separately, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy-related limitations, unless it causes the employer undue hardship.
• Canada: maternity and parental benefits are paid through Employment Insurance, or the Québec Parental Insurance Plan in Quebec. For how much notice to give your employer, check your province's or territory's employment standards.
• Australia: check the notice rules for parental leave with the Fair Work Ombudsman, and give your employer written notice in good time.

Check your employee handbook or ask HR how much notice they need and what pay they offer.

• Read your leave policy: notice deadline, paid weeks, pay rate.
• Have a rough timeline: your due date, and roughly when you'd like your leave to start.
• Think about handover: who could cover what. Managers relax when you arrive with a plan.

Your leave may be partly paid or unpaid. The parental leave calculator shows your income gap and what to save each month.