Pregnancy and Parenting
Pregnancy Accommodations
Students
Pregnant students have rights under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (known as Title IX) – federal legislation that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex (including pregnancy and parental status) in educational programs and activities. Those rights include …
- Reasonable Adjustments – Provide reasonable adjustments, like a larger desk, elevator access, or allowing you to make frequent trips to the restroom, when necessary because of your pregnancy.
- Excused Absences – Any absence related to pregnancy or childbirth must be excused for as long as medical personnel deem necessary.
- Make-Up Work – Students returning to class must be allowed to return to the same academic status as before the medical leave began and given the opportunity to make up any work missed during the leave. This includes an opportunity to make-up "class participation" points that student missed by virtue of not being in class. Further, any deadlines that were missed during the leave must be extended to allow submission of work.
To request pregnancy-related accommodations, contact the Title IX Coordinator at titleix@uic.edu or 312-996-8670.
Employees
Pregnant employees have rights under federal and state laws, including the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and Illinois Pregnancy Accommodation Law. Those rights include …
- Non-Discrimination – Protection against pregnancy-based discrimination and harassment at work.
- Work Adjustments – Allowance for reasonable accommodations related to pregnancy-related medical conditions.
To request pregnancy-related accommodations, contact the ADA Coordinator at oaeada@uic.edu or 312-996-8670.
Parenting Accommodations
After the birth of a child, students and employees are eligible for the following rights:
- Absence due to Recovery – Absence related to pregnancy or childbirth is excused for as long as medical personnel deem necessary. Commonly, six weeks for a vaginal delivery and eight weeks for a Cesarean (c-section) delivery.
- Lactation Rooms – Reasonable break time to express breast milk for her infant child for up to one year after the child's birth in a private space, other than a bathroom. Locate the lactation rooms at UIC.
Employees: to request parenting-related accommodations, contact the ADA Coordinator at oaeada@uic.edu or 312-996-8670.
Students: to request parenting-related accommodations, contact the Disability Resource Center at drc@uic.edu or 312-413-2183.
Resources
- Frequently Asked Questions and Answers: Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Pregnancy
- Know Your Rights: Pregnant or Parenting? Title IX Protects You From Discrimination At School from U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights
- Legal Rights for Pregnant Workers under Federal Law from U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Pregnancy and Your Rights in the Workplace from Illinois Department of Human Rights
- Illinois Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act, 820 ILCS 260
- Illinois Breastfeeding Accommodations for Pupils, 105 ILCS 5/10-20.60
- United States PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act, H.R.3110