Pregnancy, Childbirth, And Related Medical Conditions (Employees) : 8:05:00:00

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Responsible Executive: Executive Director of Compliance & Enrichment (Title IX Coordinator) 

I. PURPOSE

Â鶹ÊÓƵ State Community College (Â鶹ÊÓƵ State), as a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), prohibits discrimination against employees because of sex and is required by TBR to comply with all legal obligations regarding pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions in accordance with , Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the PUMP Act, Tennessee Code Annotated § 50-1-305, and all other applicable state and federal statutes and regulations. 

II. DEFINITIONS

  1. Known Limitation – A physical or mental condition related to, affected by, or arising out of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions that the employee or the employee’s representative has communicated to Â鶹ÊÓƵ State, whether or not such condition constitutes a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 
  2. Employee - An employee or applicant who, either with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job position.  An employee or applicant is considered qualified if any inability to perform an essential function is for a temporary period, the essential function can be performed in the near future, and the inability to perform the essential function can be reasonably accommodated. 
    1. This policy applies to all qualified employees of Â鶹ÊÓƵ State, whether full- or part-time; whether faculty, adjunct, or staff; Â鶹ÊÓƵ State Policy 8:04:00:00 Discrimination & Harassment - Complaint & Investigation Procedure and  and regardless of length of employment. 
    2. A qualified applicant is considered to be a qualified employee.
  3. Reasonable Accommodation - Generally the same meaning as under the ADA, reasonable accommodation means a modification or adjustment to a job or the work environment that will enable a qualified employee to perform the essential functions of the job (unlike the ADA, reasonable accommodation under this policy may include temporarily relieving a qualified employee of an essential function of the job).  If multiple reasonable accommodations are available, Â鶹ÊÓƵ State may select among reasonable accommodations. 
    1. Reasonable accommodations may include, but are not limited to, making existing facilities accessible, leave, job restructuring, a part-time or modified work schedule, acquiring or modifying equipment, changing or making exceptions to a policy, and reassignment to a vacant position. 
  4. Related Medical Condition - Any illness, complication, or symptoms arising out of pregnancy or childbirth.  Examples of related medical conditions include, but are not limited to, morning sickness, gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced hypertension, miscarriage, sciatica, lactation or the need to express breast milk, medical procedures and recovery, physical injuries from childbirth, and postpartum depression. 

III. GUIDELINES

  1. Nondiscrimination in General
    1. Discrimination or harassment based on pregnancy or related medical conditions is prohibited gender discrimination.  Complaints of discrimination or harassment based on pregnancy should be submitted to the Title IX Coordinator (or their designee) and will be investigated pursuant to Â鶹ÊÓƵ State Policy 8:04:00:00 or Â鶹ÊÓƵ State Policy 8:02:00:00 Sexual Misconduct.   

      To submit a complaint, you may do so by filling out the form on Â鶹ÊÓƵ State’s Just Report It page. 

Â鶹ÊÓƵ State’s Title IX Coordinator is: 

Barbara Scales, Ed.D 

Executive Director of Organizational Compliance and Enrichment 

5002 Â鶹ÊÓƵ College Blvd. 

Smyrna, TN 37167 

(615) 220-7976 

[email protected] 

 

Deputy Title IX Coordinator 

Jerriona Walker 

Assistant Director of Organizational Compliance and Enrichment 

5002 Â鶹ÊÓƵ College Blvd. 

Smyrna, TN 37167 

(615) 220-7994 

[email protected] 

    1. Retaliation against someone who requests a reasonable accommodation for pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition or who files a complaint based on pregnancy is prohibited.  Retaliation complaints will be investigated under Policy 8:02:00:00 or 8:04:00:00. 
    2. Â鶹ÊÓƵ State shall treat employees who are temporarily unable to perform their job duties or participate in educational programs due to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions the same as non-pregnant employees who are similar in their ability or inability to work or participate in educational activities; for example, with respect to temporary and light duty assignments. 
  1. Reasonable Accommodation on the Basis of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Related Medical Conditions
    1. An employee or applicant who seeks a reasonable accommodation should contact Â鶹ÊÓƵ State’s Title IX Coordinator (please see Section III.A.1 above), or their designee.  A request for a reasonable accommodation can be made orally, via email, or by completing the form on Â鶹ÊÓƵ State’s Just Report It page.  Employees are required to participate in an interactive process to determine a reasonable accommodation.   
    2. Anyone with regular supervisory responsibilities over an employee who learns from the employee or employee’s representative about a potential need for a reasonable accommodation due to pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition must inform the employee or representative how to request a reasonable accommodation, including directing them to the  and must inform the Title IX Coordinator about the employee’s need for a potential accommodation. 
    3. Â鶹ÊÓƵ State shall make reasonable accommodation to known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition of a qualified employee.  Â鶹ÊÓƵ State and the employee must engage in a good faith, interactive process to identify a reasonable accommodation. 
    4. Â鶹ÊÓƵ State may deny a reasonable accommodation if it would result in undue hardship to the institution.  TBR’s Office of General Counsel must be consulted prior to denying a reasonable accommodation based on undue hardship. 
    5. Any request for documentation for pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition must be made by Â鶹ÊÓƵ State’s Human Resources (HR) department.  The HR department may only ask for documentation that is reasonable under the circumstances to determine a reasonable accommodation, and any request must comply with the limitations on requests for information in . 
    6. Â鶹ÊÓƵ State shall not:
      1. Require a qualified employee to accept a reasonable accommodation other than one arrived at through an interactive process; 
      2. Deny equal employment opportunities to a qualified employee based on the need to make reasonable accommodations; or 
      3. Take adverse action against a qualified employee because the employee requested or used a reasonable accommodation, or otherwise retaliate against an individual in violation of applicable law. 
    7. A qualified employee may elect to take leave in accordance with TBR , or TBR Policy 5.01.01.14.  Â鶹ÊÓƵ State shall not require a qualified employee to take leave, whether paid or unpaid, if another reasonable accommodation can be provided. 
    8. If an employee who is pregnant, gives birth, or has a related medical condition does not have enough leave or does not qualify for leave, Â鶹ÊÓƵ State must allow the employee to take unpaid leave for a reasonable period of time for pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition, after which the employee must be reinstated to the status held when the leave began or to a comparable position without decrease in pay, loss of promotional opportunity, or other right or privilege of employment.
    9. Reasonable accommodation pursuant to this policy, including unpaid leave, is available only to qualified employees who are pregnant, have given birth, or have a pregnancy-related condition.  Leave for family members may be available pursuant to TBR Policy 5.01.01.08 or TBR Policy 5.01.01.14. 
  2. Lactation
    1. Â鶹ÊÓƵ State shall provide space other than a restroom to express milk.  Â鶹ÊÓƵ State may provide dedicated space on each campus or provide a temporary space on an as-needed basis.  The space must be clean, shielded from view, and free from intrusion from others.   

Â鶹ÊÓƵ State has lactation spaces at each campus in the following locations:

      • Moore County campus: Simon Hall 108
      • McMinnville campus: McMinnville Center Room 177
      • Smyrna campus: Hiatt-Spivey Center Room 117 (to enter, please first enter 1st Floor Women’s Restroom)  
      • Fayetteville campus: Fayetteville Center 112
    2. Â鶹ÊÓƵ State must provide a reasonable amount of break time, as frequently as needed by the nursing parent, to express milk.  Breaks must be provided for one (1) year following birth, and any employee who wishes to continue expressing breast milk beyond one (1) year should contact the Title IX Coordinator to discuss additional time to provide breaks. 
    3. Employees taking breaks to express milk shall be compensated in the same manner as other employees are compensated during break time.  No deduction may be made from an exempt employee’s salary.  No deduction from a non-exempt employee’s pay is permitted unless the Title IX Coordinator has approved in advance. 

SOURCES

T.C.A. § 50-1-305 

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq. (as amended by the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act) 

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. §§ 1681-1688 

Fair Labor Standards Act § 18d (as amended by the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act, or PUMP Act) 

CORRESPONDING POLICIES

HISTORY

Revised: October 22, 2024; May 14, 2026 (Editorial) 

Institutional Oversight Committee Approved: August 17, 2023; December 20, 2024; May 15, 2026 

President’s Cabinet Approved: August 30, 2023; January 7, 2025; June 2, 2026 

TBR Office of General Counsel Approved: TBD 

Effective Date: February 29, 2023; January 7, 2025; June 2, 2026