With the State of Texas designation as a Mother-Friendly Worksite, the university affirms its sensitivity to needs of nursing mothers. This public recognition will be (is) another signal as we competitively and inclusively recruit and seek to retain high-quality faculty, staff, and students.
E. Jill Pollock
Associate Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer
Texas A & M
Many moms think that they will not have time to pump milk for their baby or simply don’t want to ask. Thanks to the Reasonable Break Time For Nursing Mothers amendment, time constraints at work that were a barrier to continued breastfeeding have been removed.
- Reasonable break time: (usually unpaid) for you to express breast milk each time you have the need to express milk at work. Most mothers will need to pump 2-3 times during the workday for 20-30 minutes.
Read MoreIf an employer already provides paid breaks, a mother choosing to use that break time to pump must be paid the same as other employees.
Moms should be completely relieved of work duties if “on break”.
Employers are not required to pay you for any additional break time used for expressing breastmilk.
The law does not require it, but the U.S. Department of Labor does encourage employers to provide flexible scheduling for their employees that want to make up the unpaid time.
- A Place to pump: this should be a clean, private place, other than a bathroom, to express breast milk. This doesn’t have to be a space permanently dedicated as a pumping space, but it should be available whenever the mother needs to use it.
Employers must find a private space where a mother can comfortably express milk for her baby. The place must be functional as a space for expressing breast milk. A bathroom, even if private, is not allowed for sanitary reasons.
If you can answer “yes” to all three of the following questions, the law probably applies to you.
Yes No ☑ ☐ Are you currently working? ☑ ☐ Are you eligible for overtime pay at work if you work more than 40 hours a week? ☑ ☐ Do you work in a job that is not considered a management position? To be sure ask your human resources department if you are an FLSA “non-exempt” worker or check on your pay stub. If you are an FLSA non-exempt worker, this law applies to you.
For more information or to file a complaint call 1-866-487-9243 or visit www.dol.gov/whd/nursingmothers.
If you are classified as exempt, your employer is not required by law to give you break time or space to pump however, many employers will be happy to allow time and space for you when they know what you need and why it is important. It is a good idea to develop a plan and talk to your employer about your return ahead of time.
- A Place to pump: this should be a clean, private place, other than a bathroom, to express breast milk. This doesn’t have to be a space permanently dedicated as a pumping space, but it should be available whenever the mother needs to use it.
