The Equal Opportunity Compliance and Title IX department strengthens Michigan Tech's commitment to a just and respectful community that is accessible to all individuals and free from discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct.
Contact Information
- Fall and Spring Semesters: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Summer Semester: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Beth Lunde-Stockero
Executive Director
Equal Opportunity Compliance and Title IX
Room 310, Administration Building
Phone: 906-487-3310
blunde@mtu.edu or eocompliance@mtu.edu
Highlights
In December of 2022, President Biden signed into law two pieces of legislation, expanding federal protections for both pregnant and nursing workers:
1. The Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers (PUMP) Act expands protections for employees who are nursing and requires employers to provide the following:
a. Reasonable break time for nursing employees to pump breast milk during the workday. Lactation breaks for non-exempt employees may be unpaid, except: 1) If the nursing employee is not completely relieved from duty; 2) if employers pay co-workers for similar breaks; or 3) when breast milk is expressed during paid breaks. Exempt employees must be paid their full weekly salary, regardless of whether they take breaks to express breast milk.
b. A private place, other than a restroom, that nursing workers may use to express breastmilk. Michigan Tech currently has several lactation spaces available across campus. In some circumstances, a private office with a locking door may also be appropriate.These protections are available to employees for up to one year following the birth of an employee's child. The PUMP Act largely took effect December 29, 2022, but changes to remedies will take effect April 28, 2023.
2. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to address a worker’s known limitations due to pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions. The PWFA's accommodation provisions are based on the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, while the ADA covers employees with "disabilities", the PWFA protects employees with "known limitations" related to pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions. Also, unlike the ADA, an employer may temporarily have to eliminate an essential job function under the PWFA if requested and after the interactive process with the ADA Coordinator. The ADA Coordinator can be reached at adacoordinator@mtu.edu or 906-487-3310. The PWFA goes into effect June 27, 2023.
Michigan Tech supports pregnant and parenting employees and students. As a supervisor, should you have questions or need clarification regarding how to compensate or best accommodate pregnant and nursing employees, please visit Benefit Services for more information or contact your Human Resources representative.
Michigan Tech's Title IX staff will continue to monitor the upcoming review and possiblerevision of the Title IX regulations per President Biden's 2021 Executive Order on Guaranteeing an Educational Environment Free from Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Including Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity
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