As part of the on boarding process of a female employee HR should go over the where the pump rooms are, share a copy of the breastfeeding policy for the respective state and also for the company. Discuss breastfeeding insurance benefits with the employee.

As a member of a state breastfeeding coalition, we have spent a lot of time interacting with families having problems getting employer buy-in for workplace lactation support. Often this is because of the inadvertent downstream impacts of employers providing this support. These impacts may include:
—employers who often short staff their businesses with only one employee, providing no way for the employee to take a break... more »

At our company, we offer reimbursement for mothers who are traveling for the company. We recommend our employees to use the company MilkStork. They coordinate sending cold shipment boxes to the hotel where the employee is staying at, then coordinate pick up and delivery to the employees home. This prevents the nursing mom to pump and dump their milk.

I know of a woman who breastfed her now 12 year old, in the stall of a restaurant when she worked there as a waitress. As an electrician I have pumped in a building engineers bathroom during my lunch break. Mothers will do this if we are able, it is arguably the most important, nurturing, least selfish act that humans are capable of. Yet, we are not treated as if it is important. We need an approach that treats this... more »

Encourage businesses to participate in a contest to receive a recognition award. The contest can award a prize to the employer with the most comfortable or innovative lactation spot. The contest page could link to resources, videos, and testimonials about the regulation. Showplace the participants on a website. Employers are always looking for ways to build their reputation among prospective employees. An award would... more »

Employers continually request additional guidance on space requirements under the "Break Time for Nursing Mothers" law. The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee recommends including additional information from the Request for Information on Break Time for Nursing Mothers, including to further define the term "functional" from the FAQ and provide more information on the provision of sinks and refrigerators. Additionally, we recommend... more »

As detailed in the Department's Request for Information on Break Time for Nursing Mothers, the amount of time needed is impacted by many factors, including travel time, pump set up, pump break down, cleaning and packing, and milk storage. The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee recommends that in assessing the reasonableness of break time provided to a nursing employee, the Department considers all the steps reasonably necessary... more »

Employers commonly ask for practical information and additional detail on the space requirements. We recommend including information on what makes a space adequate for breastfeeding employees; how to calculate an appropriate number of lactation spaces; whether locker rooms, anterooms, or lounge areas connected to a bathroom are in compliance with the law; and other details included in the Request for Information on Break... more »

Most employers want to comply with the law, but many need guidance and support for implementation, especially to ensure they are aware of the most creative, cost-effective solutions available that also minimize impact on their operations. The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee recommends including citations with links to existing resources hosted by other federal agencies, especially the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services... more »

Some workplaces employ a large number of breastfeeding employees at any single time. The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee recommends clarifying that because the statute requires employers to provide break time each time such employee has need to express the milk, employers should consider the number of nursing mothers employed and their work schedules to determine the location and number of spaces to designate or create.... more »