S.W.
Steph,
I'm sorry you are going through this. I work for an outplacment company and am a career coach for people going through job change. So, several points:
You have the right to retain an attorney to negotiate a severance package if you feel that would help, most attorneys will give you a free consultation so that you can decide.
Your company can lay you off while you are pregnant, the laws in MN allow employers and employees to end an employment agreement at any time for any, or no, reason. Descrimination law suits are extremely difficult to prove.
You will want to leave on OK terms as a new employer will likely want a reference from this company.
You will qualify for medical coverage under the COBRA laws, your employer is required to provide this information to you, your medical insurance and coverage will stay the same as now, you will need to pick up more of the cost. This coverage can stay in place until a new employer can cover you. Pregnancy is NOT a "pre-existing condition" that will prevent new insurance from covering those costs.
Companies do hire women who are pregnant.
The agency that your employer is supplying should help you build a resume that talks about your accomplishments and results, not just job tasks. They should also help you practice a 30-second Commercial introduction, and a Reason for Leaving statement that lets you answer the question "Why did you leave?" in an unemotional, factual, positive manner. They should help you strategize, run a proactive job search, and prepare for interviewing. If you can't do this in 30 hours, push for more time, or more services.
Keep in mind that the Minnesota Work Force centers also provide job search assistance. The Dislocated Worker Program has a budget for training if there are any skills you feel you could benefit by brushing up on.
Contact me if you have any more questions, and I would be glad to review your resume and give feedback for no charge.
Good luck and hang in there!
