Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Breastfeeding Policy

Purpose

To provide reasonable break time for nursing employees to express breast milk.

Scope

This policy applies to all nursing employees at Wilkes University.

Policy

A nursing employee will be provided reasonable break time to breast feed or express breast milk for her nursing child for the first year of the child’s life. These break periods will be given each time the employee has need to breastfeed or express breast milk.

The university has several locations on campus that can be utilized by nursing employees to breast feed or express their milk during work hours. Each location is a private and sanitary room with an electrical outlet, comfortable chair, and nearby access to running water. Employees may also use their private office area for breastfeeding or milk expression, if they prefer.

The locations are as follows:

• Stark Learning Center, Room 150
• Passan Hall, 1st floor conference room (call x4730 to reserve)
• University Towers, Suite D (access provided by Public Safety)

• Farley Library, Room 108 (access provided by the circulation desk)

A refrigerator will be made available for safe storage of expressed breast milk in the lactation room. Employees may use their own cooler packs to store expressed breast milk. Employees should provide their own containers, clearly labeled with name and date. Those using the University provided refrigerators are responsible for keeping them clean.

All employees are expected to provide an atmosphere of support for breastfeeding employees.

Policy Implementation

The Human Resources Department and the applicable department management are responsible for coordinating the implementation of this policy and for providing guidance on the interpretation of specific policy requirements.

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