Postponing faculty start date due to covid and Pregnancy? Any advice? I’m just a few weeks pregnant, due in June. I’m supposed to start a faculty position (tt - great fit) at a research intensive R1 school. Our plan had been to move back to the US in December.
If I start the position in January, I’d have probably about 4 weeks of paid leave.
On my current fellowship in Canada, I have a full year. (Could start the 1 yr in June) But I’m scared I’d lose my position.
Anyone have any thoughts? I’m also concerned about moving back to the US mid-COVID super pregnant.
You should chat with your future department, starting with the department chair. (The views of random people on the internet, by the way, should count for very little!) Based on past experience, asking to defer one's start was not uncommon even pre-Covid. Keep in mind that (i) your department wants you to succeed, and making a case that you're more likely to succeed given x, y, and z is a good thing to do; (ii) it's possible that there are external constraints on the department, like a need for someone, perhaps you, to teach certain courses. Still, it's important to realize that (aside from rare, dysfunctional departments) the department is on your side.
Less important, I will note that personally I would think it better to start sooner, in January, rather than when you're due. Having a new baby is exhausting for the first few months at least, and starting a faculty position at the same time sounds very challenging! (I have two kids, one born before, one after, and zero at the start of my professorship!)