Pregnancy and nursing resources and support
Reasonable accommodation during pregnancy
Under Title IX, UAF must excuse a student’s medically necessary absences because of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions (ie: miscarriage, false pregnancy, c-section, etc.) for as long as the student’s doctor deems the absences medically necessary. When a student returns to school, the student must be allowed to return to the same academic and extracurricular status as before their medical leave began. Any special services provided to students who have temporary medical conditions must also be provided to a pregnant student. A school may require a pregnant student or student who has given birth to submit medical certification for school participation.
Employees who need assistance with Family Medical Leave (FML) and/or pregnancy accommodation should contact UA Human Resources at (907) 450-8200 or ua-ada@alaska.edu or submit an online accommodation request form. Please note that student/temporary employees may be eligible and should speak with UA HR for eligibility information.
Visitors who need assistance with pregnancy accommodation should contact UA Human Resources at (907) 450-8200 or ua-ada@alaska.edu or submit an online accommodation request form.
Students who need assistance with pregnancy accommodation should contact UAF Disability Services at 907-474-5655 by TTY at 907-474-1827 or submit an online accommodation request form.
To request assistance with class adjustments (such as a withdrawal), the Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability can assist students through that process, as well as provide other options (if applicable). ORCA can be contacted at 907-474-7317 or uaf-studentrights@alaska.edu
UAF procedures and guidelines: Nursing parents on campus
Title IX of the education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. §1681 ETA seq., is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, including pregnancy and parental status, in educational programs and activities.
The Fair Labor Standards Act requires employers to provide reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for their nursing child for one year after the child's birth. Employers are also required to provide a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from co-workers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk.
UAF supports the rights of parents in our educational and work environment, and therefore provides flexibility to allow nursing parents to express breast milk.
If you are a nursing parent and wish to request a flexible schedule to express milk during your school or working hours, talk with your professor or supervisor. Supervisors must provide reasonable break time for an employee to express milk for their nursing child for one year after the child's birth. You may request paid or unpaid leave or your meal times for that purpose.
Generally 15-20 minutes three times a day is sufficient, depending on where the lactation room or caregiver is located. Make sure you take under consideration the travel between your work space and the lactation room or caregiver.
If a lactation room is not convenient to your workplace, you may work with your supervisor or UAF Human Resources or Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability to identify a clean, private, comfortable space that can meet your needs. Other items to discuss and consider include an electrical outlet, a comfortable chair, a table for the breast pump, access to a sink with running water and paper towels, and anti-microbial wipes. Since the breast milk has to be refrigerated during the day, if no refrigerator is available, the parent should carry cold packs for personal storage of expressed milk.
If you leave campus to breast-feed during the workday, or if a caregiver brings the baby to campus to be breast-fed and you need a parking space close to your workplace, you may request a temporary adjustment for your UAF parking permit. Please contact the Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability for more information.
Faculty, supervisors and co-workers are reminded to respect and be sensitive to students' and employees' choice to nurse or choices a parent makes based on what they consider best for their child.
Faculty is encouraged to work within the UAF procedures and to make the necessary adjustments for the nursing parent who wishes to express milk. Supervisors must provide reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for their nursing child for one year after the child's birth. Employees can be granted paid leave, unpaid breaks or flexibility in their meal time for this purpose.
Generally 15-20 minutes three times a day is sufficient, depending on where the lactation room or caregiver is located. Additional time should be allowed for travel to and from the lactation room or the baby's caregiver. Extra flexibility on schedule is recommended during the initial weeks following their return to classes or work.
Employers must provide a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from co-workers and the public. In the absence of a convenient lactation room, supervisors must identify an appropriate space. The room must provide a clean, private, comfortable space with an electrical outlet. Privacy can be ensured by installing a coded lock or a sign outside the door. Included should be a comfortable chair, a table for the breast pump, easy access to a sink with running water and paper towels, and anti-microbial wipes. If possible, provide a small refrigerator for storage of the expressed milk. If a refrigerator is not available, the nursing parents can carry cold packs for personal storage of the expressed milk.