Publications & Toolkits

Workplace Lactation

 

Healthy Babies Make Happy Moms...and Excellent Employees!

Supporting Nursing Mothers at Work is Now Law

The Affordable Care Act, signed into law in March 2010, amended the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to require employers to provide a reasonable break time and a sanitary, private place for nonexempt nursing mothers to pump milk at work. Corporate Voices for Working Families has re-launched this online workplace lactation toolkit to give employers high-quality resources and tools to comply with this new federal requirement, and to help them establish successful workplace lactation programs that work for all workers, including lower-wage and hourly employees.

How To Use This Toolkit

Follow the tabs at the top of this page to access resources that are relevant for you. Click on the main headings in each section to access all available resources.

We encourage employers to re-brand these materials, free of charge, if they so choose. Design files are available for employers and others to request and use to set up lactation programs in thier workplaces. Contact us   if you are interested in re-branding this toolkit.

About This Toolkit

Successful breastfeeding requires a community-wide effort. That is why this toolkit also provides resources to help community leaders and health professionals be effective advocates for breastfeeding in their communities.

This online toolkit has been updated from an original version, "Workplace Lactation Programs: Good for Business. Good for Working FamiliesTM," developed in consultation with a select group of corporate partners and healthcare professionals. Corporate Voices would like to acknolwedge their insight and critical input, as well as the valuable input of peer reviewers that contributed to this updated version:

Abbott Nutrition
Beverly W. Henry, PhD, RD, LDN
Bridget Swinney, MS, RD
Cecilia Pozo Fileti, MS, RD, FADA
Ceridian Corporation
CVS Caremark

Gale Pryor
IBM
ICF International
Knowledge Universe
LifeCare

Marriott International, Inc.
MetLife
The PNC Financial Services Group
Susan J. May, MD
The TJX Companies, Inc.
Working Mother Media

This workplace lactation toolkit was produced in partnership with Working Mother Media and made possible with the generous support of Abbott Nutrition.

 

Benefits to Business

Click on the main headings below to learn more about the new federal workplace lactation law, the business benefits of breastfeeding and to download tools to help you establish and maintain a successful lactation program in your workplace.

Workplace Support for Nursing Mothers: Your Legal Obligation

Beginning in 2010, all employers in the United States are now required by federal law to provide nonexempt nursing mothers with time and space to pump milk for their babies while they are at work. Employers must now:

  • Provide nonexempt nursing mothers reasonable break time to pump milk at work for up to one year.
  • Provide a private space that is not a bathroom in which employees can pump milk for their infants.

The tools in this section will help you set up a lactation program and create a supprtive environment for nursing mothers, so that you and your employees will be healthier, happier and more competitive.

Workplace Support for Nursing Mothers: The Business Benefits

Healthy families are good for business. When employees breastfeed their babies at work, employers can realize significant savings. When employers support a mother’s choice to breastfeed, they will increase employee productivity, retention and engagement, and will lower their health care costs.

Resources and Tools

Click on the headings below to expand them, and learn more about the new federal workplace lactation law and how to access tools and resources to help you establish a successful lactation program in your workplace.

How Do I Learn More About the Federal Lactation Law?

o Read the U.S. Department of Labor's fact sheet explaining the new lactation provision
o Read the U.S. Department of Labor's "Break Time for Nursing Mothers" FAQs
o Read the U.S Department of Labor's preliminary interpretations of the law
o Read the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's official memorandum which expands the lactation law to all federal workers

How Do I Set Up a Lactation Room or Program?

o Access a Program Summary explaining how to set up a lactation program and how to use this online toolkit

o Download a Needs Assessment Worksheet to determine your lactation support needs

o Access a Privacy Room Checklist to make sure your lactation room has everything it needs

o Download a Privacy Room Logbook

o Read and learn about best-practice employer examples in the "Success Stories" section

How Do I Communicate My Program to Employees?

o Access Talking Points for Employers

o Download and print a Break Room Poster to advertise your program. Available in two sizes, in English and Spanish:

Large Poster [PDF], 10.675" X 24"  
Small Poster [PDF], 11" X 17"  

o Download and print a Lactation Room Poster to support your nursing mothers. Available in two sizes, in English and Spanish:

Large Poster [PDF], 10.675" X 24"  
Small Poster [PDF], 11" X 17"         

o Access Educational Flyers to distribute to your employees:

How Do I Measure the Success of My Program?

o Access a Privacy Room Logbook to monitor participation in your program

o Access a template Employee Satisfaction Survey   (English)

o Access a template Employee Satisfaction Survey (Spanish)

o Download a Measuring Success Worksheet to analyze the program's impact on your business

 

Benefits for Working Families

Click on the main headings below to learn more about your right to pump milk at work, the health and financial benefits of breastfeeding, how you can successfully continue to breastfeed after returning to work and to find breastfeeding support.

Workplace Support for Nursing Mothers: Your Legal Right

All employers in the United States are now required by federal law to provide nursing mothers in hourly positions with space and time at work to pump milk for their babies. Employers must now:

  • Provide nonexempt nursing mothers reasonable break time to pump milk at work for up to one year.
  • Provide a private space that is not a bathroom in which employees can pump milk for their infants.

Workplace Support for Nursing Mothers: Benefits for Working Families

Breastfeeding is good for babies—and you too! Learn about the benefitsof breastfeeding for you and your family in this section.

Resources and Tools

You can continue to breastfeed, even after you go back to work. Download and read the guides, practical tipsand flyers in this section to learn about your legal right tobreastfeed, how you can successfully continue to do so afterreturning to work, and where to find breastfeeding help.

How Do I Learn More About the Federal Lactation Law?

o Read the U.S. Department of Labor's fact sheet explaining the new requirement
o Visit the U.S. Department of Labor's website to see whether you are a nonexempt worker and if the new law applies to you

How Do I Talk to Others About Breastfeeding?

o Access a guide on Talking to Others About Breastfeeding (English)

o Access a guide on Talking to Others About Breastfeeding (Spanish)

o Learn about the challenges and successes of mothers like you in the "Multimedia" section

What Resources Exist to Help Me Continue Breastfeeding After I Return to Work?

o Access Breastfeeding Resources and Support (English)

o Access Breastfeeding Resources and Support (Spanish)
o Download Tips on Returning to Work after your baby is born (English)

o Download Tips on Returning to Work after your baby is born (Spanish)

o Access Pumping and Storage Information (English)

o Access Pumping and Storage Information (Spanish)

o Learn about breastfeeding tips and techniques (available in 21 languages!) in the "Multimedia" section.

 

Health Professionals

Click on the main headings below to learn more about the new federal workplace lactation law and to download resources you can share with employers and nursing mothers in your community.

Workplace Support for Nursing Mothers: Their Legal Right

All employers in the United States are now required by federal law to provide nursing mothers in hourly positions with space and time at work to pump milk for their babies. Employers must now:

  • Provide nonexempt nursing mothers reasonable break time to pump milk at work for up to one year.
  • Provide a private space that is not a bathroom in which employees can pump milk for their infants.

This section provides tools and resources that health professionals can use to communicate the health and business benefits of breastfeeding.

Workplace Support for Nursing Mothers: Benefits for Working Families

As you know, breastfeeding is good for babies and for workingfamilies. Read and download the materials in this section describingthe benefits of breastfeeding and how employers can establishsuccessful workplace lactation programs. We invite you to distribute these educational materials and resources tohelp new mothers continue to breastfeed when they return to work.

Resources and Tools

Download and read the guides, practical tips, flyers and templatesin this section to help you advocate for the benefits of breastfeedingin your community, and to access resources to help nursing mothers continue breastfeeding when they return to work.

How Can I Advocate the Legal, Business and Health Benefits of Breastfeeding to Employers?

o Download a template letter to employers

o Access the brochure for this online toolkit that describes the business benefits of breastfeeding
o Access and distribute breastfeeding resources and information for employers

o Read the U.S. Department of Labor's fact sheet explaining the new workplace lactation requirement

o Read the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's official memorandum which expands the lactation law to all federal workers

o Read Corporate Voices' response to the Surgeon General's "Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding" (Released January 2011)

o See an example of a Congressional letter in support of breastfeeding and infant nutrition from the office of Representative Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH)

What Breastfeeding Resources Exist for Health Professionals and Working Mothers?

o Access Breastfeeding Resources for Health Professionals (English)

o Read about the Benefits of Breastfeeding for Working Families (English)

o Read about the Benefits of Breastfeeding for Working Families (Spanish)
o Access Breastfeeding Resources and Support for Mothers (English)
o Access Breastfeeding Resources and Support for Mothers (Spanish)

o Access Tips on Returning to Work (English)

o Access Tips on Returning to Work (Spanish)

o Access Pumping and Storage Information (English)
o Access Pumping and Storage Information (Spanish)

o Learn about and access breastfeeding tips and techniques (available in 21 different languages!) in the "Multimedia" section

o Download and print a Lactation Room Poster to support your nursing mothers. Available in two sizes, in English and Spanish:
Large Poster [PDF], 10.675" X 24"  
Small Poster [PDF], 11" X 17"         

 

Multimedia

Many resources exist to help employers support working mothers who choose to continue breastfeeding after they return to work. Below is a list of educational resources, such as webinar recordings, videos, photo essays, breastfeeding tips and techniques in multiple languages and other helpful resources that are available for employers and employees.

Webinars

Videos

 

Photos, Blogs and Other Helpful Resources

 

Employer Success Stories

Corporate Voices has published the following best-practice examples illustrating how employers have successfully implemented workplace lactation programs and practices. Read about the many innovative ways employers have supported nursing mothers at work.