Pregnancy Accommodations FAQs

Q: I’m a student and need a pregnancy accommodation. Where do I go?

A: Students with a medically related underlying health condition associated with their pregnancy, may contact Student Accessibility Services at 330-672-3391 or email at sas@kent.edu.

For healthy pregnancies, and requests for pregnancy accommodations (Ex. larger desk, breaks during class, as needed, etc.), students may contact the Student Ombuds by calling 330-672-9494 or sending email to: ombuds@kent.edu.

Q: Can an employee request a workplace accommodation while out on FMLA or leave of absence?

A: Yes, employees who are out on FMLA or a leave of absence can apply for an accommodation. Once the employee has received a “return to work” date from their healthcare provider, contact the Office of Gender Equity & Title IX or visit: /people-and-culture/eoc/employee-accommodation-request. The employee will still go through the normal process of completing and submitting the required forms and participating in the interactive process.

Q: If my pregnancy accommodation involves the approved University purchase of equipment/office furniture etc., who is responsible for finding appropriate equipment to be purchased?

A: It is the employee’s responsibility to work with their supervisor and/or business manager of the unit to find a vendor, research the product availability and reliability, and provide 3 quotes of the equipment/furniture item to the Office of Gender Equity & Title IX before receiving an approval for purchase and a determination letter.

Q: Does the Office of Gender Equity & Title IX cover the delivery/labor or setup costs of equipment or furniture?

A: The Office of Gender Equity & Title IX will not cover the cost or reimburse for transporting/moving equipment/furniture from one office to another. Also, setup fees, delivery fees, shipping and handling costs, installation fees and labor fees etc. are other fees that will not be covered by the Office of Gender Equity & Title IX. The employee’s unit will be responsible for such fees.

Q: How long does it take to have a requested pregnancy accommodation reviewed, initiate the interactive process and a determination made?

A: There is no established time-period for processing, as each request must be examined on a case-bycase basis. The processing timeline also depends on how quickly the required forms are completed by the employee and the healthcare provider. The timeline may also be extended based on the availability of the employee and the supervisor to begin the interactive process.

Q: Once an accommodation is approved and put into place, is there a re-evaluation process after a certain amount of time has passed?

A: All employee pregnancy accommodations approved by the Office of Gender Equity & Title IX will be subjected to review or re-evaluation on an as needed basis. Additionally, if an employee is receiving an accommodation that was approved by the Office of Gender Equity & Title IX and that accommodation is not working or no longer needed, the employee must contact the Office of Gender Equity & Title IX to engage in an interactive process to assess and re-evaluate the initial pregnancy accommodation.

Q: What happens to the furniture/equipment or item I am using through the accommodation process if I should leave the university of transfer to another KSU campus?

A: Any and all equipment is property of the university, therefore if you should leave the university (voluntarily or involuntarily), the Office of Gender Equity & Title IX should be contacted. If you should transfer to another KSU campus or office within the university, the furniture/equipment or item should go with you to your new location. It will be the responsibility of your new supervisor and/or business manager to cover the expense(s) to have the furniture/equipment or item relocated to the new office/location or space (if applicable).

Q: What happens if after purchasing the approved equipment or item and the item becomes damaged, broken, or lost?

A: These situations will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Please note, the equipment or item purchased for an accommodation is the property of the university, therefore, it’s imperative that the equipment/item be handled with care and should not be removed or taken from university property (i.e. home or other personal uses). If an item should be lost or damaged due to the negligence of the accommodated employee, the employee will be responsible for the cost and/or the replacement of that item.

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