Pregnancy and Lactation
The Equal Opportunity and Compliance office (EOC) assists employees and students with accommodation requests for a broad range of conditions related to pregnancy, including pregnancy, past pregnancy, infertility, childbirth, end of a pregnancy, medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or other end to a pregnancy, or lactation or recovery from any of those conditions. These are referred to as “pregnancy accommodations” on this site. Examples of reasonable pregnancy accommodations include:
- excused absences for medical appointments
- academic allowances
- parking assistance
- additional break time
- appropriately sized uniforms
- schedule changes
- flexible work arrangements
- temporary job duty swaps
- voluntary leave of absence
Applicable laws and University policy
For more information on what constitutes a pregnancy accommodation under applicate policy and law, please view the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Policy on Accommodations and our summary page on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.
Pregnancy accommodation request process: How it works
Extending reasonable accommodations
After an accommodation has been approved, EOC will continue to be available for support or to consider additional accommodation requests. If the requestor needs to extend the length of time permitted for an accommodation, they should contact the EOC Accommodations Team.
It is important to know that the University prohibits discrimination and harassment based on protected status, including pregnancy. Discrimination under the University’s Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment and Related Misconduct includes failing to provide reasonable accommodations, consistent with state and federal law, based on pregnancy or related conditions. EOC also oversees this policy. View more information about the University’s Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment and Related Misconduct.
Lactation
Everyone has a role in supporting employees and students who are expressing milk on our campus. EOC has launched a website to help the Tar Heel community understand the University’s obligations to accommodate employees and students who are expressing milk as well as how you can help the University meet these obligations. Visit the UNC Lactation Guide for additional details.
Additional questions or concerns?
Contact our Accommodations team