Lactation Policy
Download a pdf version of the Lactation Policy
In recognition of the importance and benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and infants and in compliance with state and federal law, CUNY School of Law supports the rights of nursing mothers at school and in the workplace. CUNY School of Law is dedicated to making its best effort to accommodate requests from nursing mothers for break time and a private space to express breast milk on campus.
CUNY School of Law is required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as well as New York State Labor Law, to provide certain protections and benefits to employees who are nursing mothers. CUNY School of Law also is prohibited by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 from discriminating against students on the basis of sex, including pregnancy and related conditions.
Therefore, CUNY School of Law is updating its employee lactation policy to explicitly permit students to use lactation rooms.
CUNY School of Law will provide its employees reasonable break time for up to three years after they give birth to express milk. An employee may utilize her paid break periods to express milk, take an unpaid break period, or make up the time she may need by extending her workday. CUNY School of Law will also provide to employees, upon request, a room or other location, in reasonably close proximity to the work area where she can express milk in privacy. The room will not be a bathroom, and it will be shielded from view and free from intrusion from co-workers and the public. CUNY School of Law [has a room dedicated or makes rooms available upon request].
These rooms will be made available to students based on availability, on a first-come, first-served basis.
For Colleges with Identified Spaces:
CUNY School of Law has established the following space(s) as [an] available lactation room(s):
- Room 2-101, to the right of the Gift Shop. It is secured with a lock which indicates
- Occupied/Unoccupied on the exterior lock device.
- To gain access to the room, student can get a key via Student Affairs. Employees can go to HR and Public Safety will supply.
- This space is available to students and employees.
Responsibilities of Employees
Requests for time off to express milk: Discuss your request with your supervisor. You may request reasonable unpaid break time and/or use your paid breaks or mealtimes for this purpose. Time used to express milk may be made up at the beginning or end of the workday. Generally, a maximum of 15-25 minutes three times a day should be sufficient, depending on how far away the location is from your workspace.
Responsibilities of Supervisors
Supervisors should grant reasonable requests for unpaid break time and/or the use of paid breaks or mealtimes for lactation. Time used to express milk may be made up at the beginning or end of the day. Generally, a maximum of 15-25 minutes three times a day should be sufficient, depending on how far the lactation room is from the employee’s workspace. The employee should be able to tell you approximately what time she will need breaks and how long it will take. However, be prepared to be flexible.
Please consult with the Director of Human Resources should any difficulties arise in complying with the mandates of these laws. Federal and state law explicitly prohibits discrimination against an employee who chooses to express milk in the workplace.
Responsibilities of Students
Students will have access to lactation rooms based on availability and on a first-come, first-served basis, and may need to schedule access ahead of time, depending on employee use.