Okay, that was weird.

A young -- mid to late 20s? -- woman just stumbled into my office. "I need some advice," she said.

"What about?" I ask, thinking to direct her to the appropriate office. My department in is on the same floor as the Employee Assistance Program and Career Management Program, so people often come in here looking for one of those.

Mystery woman: I applied for a job, it's a great job, the interview went great. And I just found out I'm pregnant.

Me: Err. Congratulations! Look, I'm not a counselor. I'm a data analyst and this is *insert name of completely non-related department*. Are you currently an employee of *our organization*? (I'm thinking that I can steer her to the appropriate department, if she's an employee and covered by our benefits)

MW: Yes, yes. But I don't want a counselor, I just want advice from someone who is completely not involved. Can I sit?

Me: Um. Sure! I'm certainly not involved, since I have no idea who you are.

So she sits and unloads the story. She's been married two years, just bought a house, this is their first child. The job is a great job at another division, which incidentally does not share benefits with ours. Pay is much better, it's a much more senior position. She thinks she's got an excellent chance. But should she call them and tell them she's pregnant? She doesn't want to deceive them, but she really wants this job. Also, she wouldn't be eligible for FMLA since by the time the baby's born she'll have been there for less than a year.

Well, luckily I have an opinion about everything and love to give advice. I told her to keep her mouth shut until she gets a job offer, in writing. Then she can decide if she wants to, as a condition of taking the job, negotiate for unpaid leave... or if she'd rather take the job, say nothing, give it a few months and then hope that they'd give her leave. We chatted for a while, she thanked me, I wished her mazel tov, and she left.

It was odd. She looked so normal, just sitting there all pregnant.