University Response

• Prompt communication by the student is encouraged to ensure an appropriate accommodation is provided.
• Student absences for pregnancy or any related conditions must be excused for as long as it is medically necessary.
• Students cannot be forced to change their major or degree program.
• When students return to school, they must be reinstated to the status they had before they left.
• Faculty may not “dock” a student’s grade for not being able to attend a class due to a pregnancy related condition.
• Faculty must let the student make up any work that was missed due to pregnancy or any related conditions, including recovery from a miscarriage, termination, or childbirth.
• Faculty must allow the student to leave the classroom when needed to express breast milk during class time without being “docked” points.

Prohibitions: Certain programs may determine that pregnant student, at certain stages in their pregnancy, should not participate due to certain prohibitions (jeopardizing health). Any prohibition should be vetted by the Title IX Coordinator. If deemed appropriate and compliant with law and policy, the course catalog and syllabus must clearly provide notice to students of the prohibition and reason.

If there is a bona fide occupational qualification that prohibits participation by a pregnant student, it cannot be waived; however, all prohibitions need to be carefully considered by the Title IX Coordinator for compliance.

Clinical and Internship Requirements: Must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine if accommodation can be made such as moving groups around, make-up hours or "Incompletes" with plan for completion.

• It is up to the student and their medical provider to determine if the student-athlete can play while pregnant, for how long, and what accommodations are needed.
• Student-athletes should not be mandated to disclose pregnancy status.
• Disclosure of pregnancy status should only be revealed with written authorization from the student-athlete.
• NCAA bylaws protect student-athletes with temporary medical disabilities, and at a minimum, the law requires institutions to treat pregnancy like it treats other disabilities.
• Student-athletes should be recruited and given scholarships and other opportunities regardless of pregnancy or parenting status.
• A student-athlete’s financial aid award cannot be conditioned on not becoming pregnant.
• A pregnant student-athlete’s athletic financial aid award is protected during the award term.
• Pregnant students-athletes should not be forced to stop playing arbitrarily or lose their status on the team.
• Students-athletes with pregnancy-related leave must be allowed to return to the team when it is medically safe.
• A pregnant student-athlete cannot be retaliated against for reporting or complaining about pregnancy discrimination.

Title IX covers the full scope of educational programs and activities offered by the University, including hiring, leave policies, health insurance, and job protection coverage.

University of North Georgia must allow student employees who need to take leave for pregnancy related conditions the opportunity to return to their position once they are medically cleared.

Departments must also provide accommodation (larger desk, more breaks, water, etc.) for pregnant student employees (or those with pregnancy-related conditions) during their workday.