{"id":2469,"date":"2017-03-13T17:28:20","date_gmt":"2017-03-13T17:28:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mydoorsignblog.com\/blog\/?p=2469"},"modified":"2025-03-06T05:07:46","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T10:07:46","slug":"workplace-private-lactation-room","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mydoorsign.com/blog\/workplace-private-lactation-room\/","title":{"rendered":"Should your workplace have a private lactation room?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Although it’s been a requirement under the Affordable Care Act since 2010, some employers remain in the dark as to their responsibility for providing private lactation rooms for employees. What’s a lactation room, exactly? According to the ACA<\/a>, it is “a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public” for breastfeeding mothers to pump breast milk.<\/div>\n
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We’ve gathered the guidelines on whether or not your particular company needs a lactation room, what such a room must include, and what standards you should consider when creating and maintaining such a space.\u00a0 (For a faster rundown, see our quick reference guide here.<\/a>)<\/div>\n
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Lactation rooms should be private spaces with a door that locks from the inside containing a chair, table, and electrical outlet. \u00a0From K2 Space<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Which companies need lactation rooms?<\/b><\/h3>\n
Most of them! Unless your company employs fewer than 50 workers, it will need to provide a private space for new mothers to pump. And even if your company is a small one, with 49 or fewer workers, it will need to prove<\/a> that providing such a space presents undue hardship.<\/div>\n

What are some benefits to providing lactation rooms?<\/b><\/h3>\n
Although the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding babies for at least the first six months, this can be difficult or impossible for women without a private space onsite at the office. As the Society for Human Resource Management notes, just 53 percent of female workers are aware of the law’s lactation requirements; yet, if provided with breaks and privacy space, 63\u00a0percent\u00a0of women would “definitely” \u2014 and another 13% would “probably” \u2014 continue to breastfeed after their return to work.<\/div>\n
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Including a comprehensive lactation room is also a smart decision for businesses looking to offer additional benefits to a growing part of the workforce: women of childbearing age.<\/div>\n

How can my company create a lactation room?<\/b><\/h3>\n
The government’s guidelines are fairly simple: \u201cA nursing mother’s room must be functional, with a private space with a place to sit and a flat surface, other than the floor, to place the breast pump and other supplies\u2026 [Rooms] should provide access to electricity for the use of a breast pump, as well as good lighting, a comfortable temperature, and proper ventilation. Further, a room for nursing mothers should be clean and agencies should provide cleaning wipes and paper towels.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Columbia University provides some helpful tips on arranging a basic lactation room:<\/div>\n