Effective July 1, 2026

Purpose

To outline for the University of Iowa medical, counseling, psychology, psychiatry, mental health, and social work faculty, staff, and graduate students working within the scope set forth below, their freedom to adhere to religious or ethical beliefs.

Scope

This policy applies to the University of Iowa (UI) campus and academic units that are not included within the University of Iowa Health Care enterprise, including, but not limited to, the UI Employee Assistance Program, Scanlan Center for School Mental Health – College of Education, Seashore Psychology Clinic – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Student Health Service, Student Wellness, and University Counseling Service. 

Definitions

UI faculty, staff, and graduate student refers to individuals within the defined scope and engaged in medical, counseling, psychology, psychiatry, mental health, or social work education, training, instruction, supervision, or service delivery 

Patient, client, or student referenced below means any individual who receives or seeks care, treatment, or services, whether identified as a patient, client, or student from UI faculty, staff, or graduate students outside University of Iowa Health Care.

State of Iowa HF 571 – Medical Ethics Defense Act

  1. The purpose of this policy is to establish rights and procedures consistent with the Iowa Medical Ethics Defense Act.
  2. UI faculty, staff, and graduate students have a right to freedom from discrimination in the workplace. Additional information is available in the University Policy Manual, Chapter 6 – Nondiscrimination Statement.
  3. Consistent with existing UI policy, at no time should a UI faculty, staff, or graduate student be subject to discrimination on the basis of their race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, or associational preference.

  4. UI faculty staff, and graduate students, as defined above, who are acting in the capacity of medical practitioners or otherwise directly engaged in health care services as part of their University role may, consistent with applicable law and University policy, refrain from participating in specific care or treatment modalities or interventions when participation would conflict with the individual’s ethical, moral, or religious beliefs.

    Individuals exercising their rights under this provision are expected to notify their supervisor, department, or academic program of the nature of the objection in a timely manner and to engage in good-faith efforts to ensure continuity of educational requirements, research obligations, clinical services, and programmatic operations.

Procedure

  1. If a UI faculty, staff, or graduate student is subject to discrimination, they can report to their supervisor, Human Resources representative, the applicable education program (if a student is involved); or they can file an incident report, or contact the UI Office of Civil Rights Compliance.
  2. UI faculty, staff, and graduate students who refrain from participating in care or treatment (modalities or interventions) that conflicts with the faculty, staff, or graduate student’s religious, cultural, or ethical beliefs will follow the process below:
    1. It is the responsibility of the UI faculty, staff, or graduate student to inform UI Human Resources at time of employment, or as soon as the potential conflict is identified, of religious or ethical constraints that may impact performance or the staff member’s ability to meet job expectations, e.g., inability to work certain days or perform certain functions.
    2. The UI faculty, staff, or graduate student must submit a written request for accommodation that:
      1. Identifies the specific aspect(s) of care from which they wish to be exempt;
      2. States specific reasons or justification for the exemption; and
      3. Is made in time to allow the supervisor to investigate alternate work assignments.
    3. The immediate supervisor will discuss restrictions with the UI faculty, staff, or graduate student and determine if there are accommodations that can be made.
    4. If a UI faculty, staff, or graduate student is faced with an immediate conflict, the supervisor should be notified immediately; care to the patient, client, or student must be provided until other arrangements can be made. At no time should the care of any patient, client, or student be compromised because a caregiver refuses to provide or participate in needed care.
  3. If subjected to verbal abuse or threatened with or subjected to physical abuse, UI faculty, staff, and graduate students should contact their immediate supervisor, their Senior HR leader, and/or Campus Safety as appropriate.

Related Policies