Since 2018, the legal entitlement to maternity protection also applies to pregnant and breastfeeding students, i.e., the statutory protection periods before and after birth also apply to them, and the university must verify whether attending courses or participating in examinations is possible without risk during pregnancy and breastfeeding. At the same time, there are some exceptions compared to pregnant employees. In practice, this often leads to many questions and uncertainties among students:

• When does maternity protection for students apply to me?
• Where and by when can I officially report my pregnancy – and do I have to do it at all?
• Is it possible to continue attending courses that JGU has classified as unsuitable for pregnant/breastfeeding women at my own risk?
• Can I participate in courses and examinations during the maternity protection periods?
• Am I entitled to alternative forms of assessment if I am excluded from participating in courses due to the risk assessment?

Nadine Bohne is the head of the Student Administration Department and a staff member in the Student Services at JGU. She is responsible for, among other things, the implementation and compliance with maternity protection for students at JGU.

The event is part of the series “No worries?! An information and exchange series on care work and university , organized by the Equality and Diversity Office in close cooperation with the Family Services Center of Personnel Development.