Info for students
at the UW/H
Info for students
at the UW/H
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Pregnancy during studies
Dear students,
The new Maternity Protection Act (MuSchG) came into force on January 1, 2018 and since then has also offered pregnant and breastfeeding students full maternity protection and thus the best possible health protection. In order for UW/H to take the necessary protective measures, you should inform the university as early as possible about your pregnancy, the expected date of delivery or the breastfeeding period (§ 15 MuSchG). However, there is no legal obligation to report the pregnancy. However, UW/H is legally obliged to implement the necessary protective measures following notification of your pregnancy or breastfeeding period.
The Maternity Protection Act not only protects you and your (unborn) child from possible hazards, but also ensures that you are not unreasonably disadvantaged during your pregnancy and breastfeeding period with regard to your further studies. Anything that could endanger your health or that of your child according to the maternity protection regulations must be excluded by means of suitable protective measures.
Link to the Maternity Protection Act:https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/muschg_2018/
According to § 1 para. 4, maternity protection applies to all pregnant persons and thus expressly includes pregnancies of all gender identities.
Please contact the dean of studies office responsible for you to notify us of your pregnancy or breastfeeding period or for appropriate advice. In order to calculate the protection periods and to safeguard your rights under the Maternity Protection Act, we ask you to provide us with your maternity pass or a medical certificate or midwife's certificate as proof of your pregnancy. We assure you that your data will be handled confidentially in accordance with the applicable data protection guidelines.
Deans of Studies of the Faculty of Health:
Medicine: studiendekanat.medizin@uni-wh.de
Dentistry: studiendekanat.zmk@uni-wh.de
Psychology: studiendekanat.psychologie@uni-wh.de
Nursing Science: studiendekanat.pflegewissenschaft@uni-wh.de
Office of the Dean of Studies of the Faculty of Business and Society:
studiendekanat.wige@uni-wh.de
According to § 27 MuSchG, the UW/H is obliged to report the pregnancy to the district government in Arnsberg. The notification will be made by your responsible Dean of Studies Office in compliance with the applicable data protection guidelines.
The earlier you inform us about your pregnancy or breastfeeding period, the sooner we can check your study situation and ensure maternity protection. Your dean's office will carry out an individual risk assessment (if necessary, in close consultation with those responsible for teaching) to determine whether there are any risks to you and your pregnancy or breastfeeding period in your degree program (e.g. medicine/dentistry: contact with biological and hazardous substances, etc.). We will consider together with you whether special protective measures need to be taken or whether participation in courses, practical assignments etc. is excluded due to an unreasonable risk.
The protection period extends from your registration with the relevant Dean of Studies office until the end of the maternity protection period or the registered breastfeeding period.
Student maternity protection applies to all courses that are mandatory for completing the degree program in accordance with the study and examination regulations (courses including Studium fundamentale, examinations, excursions, etc.).
During this time, a relative ban on examinations and participation applies, i.e. pregnant students are excluded from examinations and courses during this period until an individual risk assessment has been prepared and reviewed (and a corresponding waiver, see below, has been submitted). The risk assessment must document that there is no risk from attending or participating in a particular course or that participation can be made possible through suitable and reasonable protective measures.
The statutory maternity protection period begins 6 weeks before the expected date of delivery and ends 8 weeks after the birth (deviations from the periods, e.g. in the case of multiple births, are regulated in § 3 MuSchG). The protection period does not have to be applied for and no consent is required to ensure maternity protection.
During the statutory maternity protection period, you enjoy special protection. Therefore, you are not permitted to take part in courses, examinations etc. during this period. Should you nevertheless wish to take part in courses or examinations during the maternity protection period, you must expressly declare your wish to participate. You will receive a corresponding waiver form from the dean of studies office responsible for you. You can revoke the waiver at any time and also reinstate it for individual examinations; you can withdraw from examinations at any time before the examination without observing a deadline.
Without the written declaration of waiver, participation in courses and examinations during the statutory maternity protection period is not possible!
During your pregnancy and breastfeeding period (in the first 12 months after the birth), you have the right to take time off for examinations during your pregnancy or to breastfeed your child without suffering any disadvantages (§ 7 MuSchG).
Your dean's office will also be happy to advise you on questions regarding possible compensation for disadvantages when taking an examination.
In addition to the consultation or study progress meeting with your dean's office, you should also consult the UW/H company doctor, Mr. Michael Castillo. Appointments can be arranged by e-mail at: betriebsarzt@uni-wh.de
Your attending physician can issue a written prohibition of employment to protect your child or yourself. The examination phases or certain courses or examinations can be expressly excluded from this.
Semester leave of absence: If you are raising a child up to the age of eight, you are entitled to a maximum of 6 semesters of leave of absence. During this time, you can take part in courses and examinations after consultation with the relevant dean's office.
If you are employed by the UW/H (e.g. as a student assistant), please also contact the Human Resources Department!