Policy for Supporting
Breastfeeding Employees
In recognition of the well documented health advantages of breastfeeding for
infants and mothers, [name of company] provides a supportive environment to
enable breastfeeding employees to express their milk during work hours. This
includes a company-wide lactation support program administered by [name of
department].
[Name of company] subscribes to the following worksite support policy. This
policy shall be communicated to all current employees and included in new
employee orientation training.
Company Responsibilities
Breastfeeding employees who choose to continue providing their milk for their infants
after returning to work shall receive:
Milk Expression Breaks
Breastfeeding employees are allowed to breastfeed or express milk during
work hours using their normal breaks and meal times. For time that may be
needed beyond the usual break times, employees may use personal leave or
may make up the time as negotiated with their supervisors.
A Place to Express Milk
A private room (not a toilet stall or restroom) shall be available for employees
to breastfeed or express milk. The room will be private and sanitary, located
near a sink with running water for washing hands and rinsing out breast
pump parts, and have an electrical outlet. If employees prefer, they may also
breastfeed or express milk in their own private offices, or in other comfortable
locations agreed upon in consultation with the employee’s supervisor.
Expressed milk can be stored [in general company refrigerators/in designated
refrigerators provided in the lactation room or other location/in employee’s personal
cooler].
Breastfeeding Equipment
[Name of company] [provides/subsidizes/rents] electric breast pumps to assist
breastfeeding employees with milk expression during work hours. The
company provides [hospital grade pump that can be used by more than one
employee/or portable personal use electric breast pump that the employee
retains] throughout the course of breastfeeding for the employee. [If using a
standard hospital-grade pump, indicate whether the company
provides/subsidizes personal attachment kit or where the employee can
purchase the kit.] [Indicate whether breast pumps are also available for partners of
male employees.]
Education
Prenatal and postpartum breastfeeding classes and informational materials
are available for all mothers and fathers, as well as their partners.
Staff Support
Supervisors are responsible for alerting pregnant and breastfeeding
employees about the company’s worksite lactation support program, and for
negotiating policies and practices that will help facilitate each employee’s
infant feeding goals. It is expected that all employees will assist in providing
a positive atmosphere of support for breastfeeding employees.
[List other components specific to your company’s program]
Employee Responsibilities
Communication with Supervisors
Employees who wish to express milk during the work period shall keep
supervisors informed of their needs so that appropriate accommodations can
be made to satisfy the needs of both the employee and the company.
Maintenance of Milk Expression Areas
Breastfeeding employees are responsible for keeping milk expression areas
clean, using anti-microbial wipes to clean the pump and area around it.
Employees are also responsible for keeping the general lactation room clean
for the next user. This responsibility extends to both designated milk
expression areas, as well as other areas where expressing milk will occur.
Milk Storage
Employees should label all milk expressed with their name and date collected
so it is not inadvertently confused with another employee’s milk. Each
employee is responsible for proper storage of her milk using [company
provided refrigerator/personal storage coolers].
Use of Break Times to Express Milk
When more than one breastfeeding employee needs to use the designated
lactation room, employees can use the sign-in log provided in the room to
negotiate milk expression times that are most convenient or best meet their
needs.
