Pregnancy & Parenting Supports

At Napa Valley College, both students and employees are protected under federal and California state laws that prohibit discrimination based on pregnancy and parenting status.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in educational programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. This includes protections for students who are pregnant, have experienced childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from these conditions. Under the 2020 Title IX regulations, schools must:

  • Excuse absences due to pregnancy or childbirth for as long as medically necessary.

  • Allow students to return to the same academic and extracurricular status as before their medical leave began, including the opportunity to make up any missed work.

  • Provide reasonable modifications to academic requirements as necessary due to pregnancy-related needs, such as larger desks or more frequent restroom breaks.

  • Ensure student parents are not excluded from extracurricular activities and maintain equal access to educational programs and benefits.

  • Prohibit discrimination against student parents, including fathers and other legal guardians, to ensure equal access to academic and career opportunities.

These provisions ensure that pregnant and parenting students can continue their education without facing discrimination or academic penalties.

California State Law Protections for Students

  • Parental Leave: Assembly Bill 2289 entitles pregnant or parenting students to eight weeks of parental leave, which can be taken before the birth if medically necessary and after childbirth. During this leave, students are not required to complete academic work and are entitled to make up missed assignments upon return

  • Priority Registration: Assembly Bill 2881 mandates that California colleges and universities provide priority registration for student parents and inform them of available resources and support services.

  • Lactation Accommodations: Schools must provide lactation accommodations for student parents, including access to private lactation spaces that are clean, shielded from view, and equipped with electrical outlets and seating.

Federal Protections

  • Title IX (2020 Regulations): Title IX prohibits discrimination against employees based on pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. However, it does not mandate specific accommodations or leave policies for employees. Other laws provide these protections.

  • Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA): An amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the PDA prohibits employers from discriminating against employees based on pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Employers must treat pregnancy-related conditions the same as other temporary disabilities regarding leave and accommodations.

  • Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA): Effective June 27, 2023, the PWFA requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations for workers affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless it would cause undue hardship.

California State Protections for Employees

  • Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA): California’s FEHA prohibits discrimination and harassment based on pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions. Employers with five or more employees must provide reasonable accommodations (e.g., modified tasks, schedules) and up to four months of job-protected leave for pregnancy-related disabilities.

  • California Family Rights Act (CFRA): Under CFRA, eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to bond with a new child or to care for their own or a family member’s serious health condition. This leave is separate from the Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) provided under FEHA.

  • Lactation Accommodations for Employees: California law requires that employers provide lactation accommodations, including access to a private space (not a restroom) for expressing milk, access to a sink, and a refrigerator for storing milk.

Faculty and Classified Professionals, please refer to your respective Collective Bargaining Agreement. Administrative/Confidential, please refer to AP 7340.2

 

Napa Valley College is committed to upholding these protections by:

  • Providing reasonable accommodations to students and employees affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.

  • Ensuring that students are not penalized academically for taking medically necessary leave.

  • Ensuring that employment decisions are free from discrimination based on pregnancy or parenting status.

  • Offering information on available resources and support services for student parents and employees.

  • Maintaining compliance with both federal and state laws regarding pregnancy and parenting protections.

Students seeking accommodations or more information can contact the Title IX Office. Employees seeking accommodations or additional support can contact the Title IX Office or Human Resources.

 

Pregnancy & Parenting Resources

Alternatives for Better Living

Provides support, information and training to help every person get those skills, or that knowledge, or that new perspective to make their lives happier, the lives of their families happier, and improve our community.

Basic Needs Center
Enrolled Napa Valley College students can pick up 2-3 bags of assorted groceries every 30 days at the NVC Student Food Basket in the Basic Needs Center. Diapers and wipes available.
CalWORKs
CalWORKs (California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids) is a statewide public assistance program that provides cash aid and services to eligible families that have a child or children in their household.
Community Resources for Children
Community Resources for Children provides adults who care for children with the knowledge, tools, and resources so that children thrive and continue to learn.
Cope Family Center
Providing parents with the education, resources and support they need to raise children who thrive.
Expressions of Hope
Our mission is to provide comprehensive care and support through innovative programs and services that address the immediate and long-term needs of these children and their families. We strive to ensure every child we serve experiences stability, love, and the opportunity to reach their full potential.

First 5 Napa

First 5 Napa County convenes and mobilizes the community to use systems- and design-thinking to center and lift up our community’s young children, their families, and the providers who serve them.
Napa County Office of Education - Early Learning Services
NCOE  Early Learning Services oversees a wide variety of programs serving young children and families. These programs focus on children from low-income families to help them receive early education and preparation for entrance into public school, childcare and development services to assist families on their road to self-sufficiency. Additionally, the department provides Special Education Services for children 3-5 years of age and families.
Napa County Parent Support Groups

List of Support Groups in the Napa area

 

ParentsCAN
By contacting ParentsCAN, you’re taking the first step toward finding support for your family. The majority of our staff are parents of children with disabilities themselves who understand what you are experiencing and are ready to help you and your child. 
Women, Infants and Children Division
The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Division administers the California WIC program. This program helps families across the state by providing nutrition education, breastfeeding support, healthy foods and referrals to health care and other community services.

 

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