Workplace Breastfeeding Support
Supporting Breastfeeding Mothers in the Workplace is a Win-win!
Not only is breastfeeding in the workplace beneficial to mother, baby and family, but it is also beneficial to the businesses mothers work for. Some of these benefits include:
- Decreased parental employee absenteeism
- Reduction in sick time taken by both moms and dads for children’s illnesses
- More satisfied, loyal employees & cost savings to the business
- Retention of experienced employees; lower turnover rates
- Lower healthcare & insurance costs
- Potential for decreased annual health care costs of $3.6 billion in U.S.
- Not to mention all of the health benefits made possible with breastfeeding in the workplace!
Workplace Support in Federal Law: Break-time for Nursing Mothers
According to the United States Breastfeeding Committee:
Effective March 23, 2010, this federal law requires employers to provide break time and a place for hourly paid workers to express breast milk at work.
The law states that employers must provide a "reasonable" amount of time and that they must provide a private space other than the bathroom.
Employers are required to provide this accommodation until the employee's child turns one year old.
More Breastfeeding Support Legislation in the Works: Guides are being developed for legislation in 28 states, DC, Guam, and Puerto Rico. They will be published in the Online Guide: What You Need to Know About the “Break Time for Nursing Mothers” Law section “What if your state already has a law?” Each state has a webpage featuring a web version and downloadable PDF of the Guide to the Rights of Breastfeeding Employees, which provides an overview of laws that impact breastfeeding employees in each state.
See the Guide to the Rights of Breastfeeding Employees in Delaware
Key Links:
- Online Guide: What You Need to Know About the “Break Time for Nursing Mothers” Law: www.usbreastfeeding.org/workplace-law
- What if your state already has a law?: www.usbreastfeeding.org/workplace-guide
- Guide to the Rights of Breastfeeding Employees in Delaware: www.usbreastfeeding.org/workplace-guide-de
- Resource and Referral Guide for Breastfeeding Employees and their Employers: www.usbreastfeeding.org/workplace-help
Make sure your business/workplace is in compliance!
For more information and details about Break-time for Nursing Mothers and existing laws please visit:
- National Conference of State Legislature: Breastfeeding Laws
- Delaware Law for Workplace Breastfeeding Support
For help in making your workplace breastfeeding-friendly, contact us.