Gender Issues

Health Care Reform Package Offers Moms a Way to Pump and Work

One in three new mothers stop breastfeeding after returning to work because of the inability to pump breastmilk comfortably at the workplace. New legislation will require employers to provide a nursing lounge for working mothers and "The Reasonable Break Time for Nursing Mothers" provision will not hinder their work performance. These new laws help mothers stay productive at work while still being able to provide breastmilk to their baby. WISMAC maintains facilities for nursing mothers at UT Southwestern Medical Center and affiliated hospitals.

Family and Medical Leave

All employees of UT Southwestern are eligible for up to 12 weeks of family and medical leave during a 12-month period for certain family reasons provided they have been employed for 12 months by the State of Texas, and have worked at least 1,250 hours during the 12-month period immediately preceding the commencement of leave.

Parental Leave

UT Southwestern employees who are ineligible for family and medical leave coverage because they are employed for less than 12 months are eligible for Parental Leave. This allows the employee to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for either the birth of a natural child or for the adoption or foster care placement of children under three years of age.

Identifying and Reducing Bias in Scientific Evaluation

Molly Carnes, M.D., presented this topic at UT Southwestern's Psychiatry Grand Rounds in 2008. She is director of Women's Health Research and co-director of Women in Science & Engineering Leadership Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. WISMAC co-hosted Dr. Carnes and filmed her lecture, which is available on the intranet (access only from a UT Southwestern campus-network computer or via VPN).