Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex—including pregnancy, parenting, and all related conditions—in education and in programs. If you are a pregnant or parenting student, you have the right to stay in school so you can meet your education and career goals.
Federal Title IX and institutional policies include provisions for medically necessary leave that include pregnancy, parenting, and all related conditions—in education and in programs and activities that receive federal funding.
In fact, pregnancy is protected under both Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Not all pregnancies lead to a disability, but some could result in a short-term disability.
When a member of the community becomes pregnant, it may be helpful for the person to self-identify promptly to the Institute and to have pregnancy-related documentation on hand, just in case it becomes useful for explaining missed work and absences. At the same time, it’s important to keep in mind: Identifying a pregnancy to the Institute is a personal choice, not a requirement.
You have the right to stay in school so you can meet your education and career goals. Under Title IX, you have the right to take medically necessary leave and to be free of harassment, intimidation and other discrimination tied to pregnancy-related conditions, including child birth, miscarriage, abortion, and recovery.
You have the right to specific accommodations. These vary from student to student but can include a larger desk, breaks during class, temporary access to elevators, rescheduling of tests or exams, excused absences, and unique options for making up missed work.
You have the right to make up any work missed due to medically necessary absences related to the pregnancy. Your faculty must allow a reasonable amount of time to make up missed assignments and tests. You also have the right to excused absences related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.
You have the right to participate in school groups, events, and activities as you would if you weren’t pregnant.
You have the right not to disclose your pregnancy status. CalArts tries to create an environment that encourages voluntary sharing of this information so the Institute can support your physical and mental health. The Institute cannot provide special accommodations unless a pregnancy status is disclosed.
If you are a pregnant faculty or staff member who is disabled due to pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition, you are entitled to unpaid pregnancy/maternity disability leave (PDL) during the period of disability—up to four months. This will run concurrently with any absences under the Family and Medical Leave Act to the extent allowed by law.
Further, if an employee is entitled to any leave under the California Family Rights Act, and PDL does not expire before the child’s birth, the employee may begin CFRA baby bonding time-off benefits after the child is born—for up to 12 weeks.
Medically necessary leave, reduced work schedules, or less strenuous duties for employees may be arranged on an intermittent basis.
FAQs
What types of accommodations may I request?
Specific accommodations will vary from student to student. Examples of accommodations may include:
A larger desk
Breaks during class, as needed
Permitting temporary access to elevators
Rescheduling tests or exams
Excusing absences due to pregnancy or related conditions
Submitting work after a deadline missed due to pregnancy or childbirth
Providing alternatives to make up missed work
Allowing excused absences for parenting students (both male and female) who need to take their children to medical appointments or to take care of their sick children
A pregnant student will be allowed to make up any work missed due to medically necessary absences for pregnancy. A student will be offered acceptable alternative arrangements to make up missed work. The student will not be required to complete make up work until the student’s medically-necessary absences for pregnancy are completed.
Am I required to tell anyone about my pregnancy or pregnancy status?
Students are not required to inform faculty, staff or any member of the administration of their pregnancy or parenting status, unless they are seeking accommodations. The university wishes to create an environment that encourages voluntary sharing of this information, so that the university can provide support for the physical and mental health of the student.
Do faculty have to excuse my absences due to pregnancy, childbirth, or abortion?
Absences due to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions must be excused and cannot be treated or penalized like unexcused absences. Your faculty must provide you a leave of absence for as long as it is deemed necessary by your medical doctor. At the end of your leave, you must be reinstated to the status you held prior to your leave. After returning from an excused absence, your faculty must allow a reasonable amount of time to make up missed assignments and tests. The makeup assignments and tests must be reasonably equivalent to those missed, but need not be identical. If a faculty provides specific “points” or other advantages to students based on class attendance, you must be given the opportunity to earn back the credit from classes missed due to pregnancy.
Under Title IX, pregnant students are entitled to the same benefits offered to students with other medical conditions, illness, or injury.
