Effective: September 29, 2019
Update: April 28, 2023

Policy

Supporting employee well-being and success is at the heart of Oregon State University's (university) pursuit of inclusive excellence. The university recognizes that employees, with a need to express milk while in the workplace, should be afforded a private location to express milk during periods of rest each time an employee has a need to do so. Reflective of the university's aspirations for and obligations to its employees, the university will provide employees with a private location and rest periods for the expression of milk.

This policy is established in accordance with the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act (S. 1658/H.R. 3110) and all other applicable state and federal laws, or an applicable collective bargaining agreement.

Top

Applicability

Eligible employees, including academic faculty, professional faculty, classified staff, law enforcement professionals, graduate assistants, temporary and student employees.

Top

Expression of Milk

Expression of milk means the initiation of lactation, by manual or mechanical means, for the eighteen-month period following the birth of the child. 

Top

Employee Notice to Supervisor

The employee shall provide reasonable notice to their supervisor that they intend to express milk in order to allow the supervisor sufficient time to make arrangements necessary to comply with this policy. The supervisor must take into consideration the immediacy of the employee’s need when making these arrangements. 

If the employee’s supervisor is unavailable due to illness or absence from the workplace, the employee is to provide notice to the supervisor’s director, department head, dean, or notice may be provided to the Chief Human Resources Officer.

Top

Rest Periods

The supervisor must provide the employee a reasonable rest period to express milk each time the employee has a need to do so. Paid or unpaid rest periods cannot be accumulated or banked by the employee for use at another time.

If an employee takes unpaid rest periods, the supervisor may, but is not required to, allow the employee to work before or after their normal shift to make up the amount of time used during the unpaid rest period. Altering an employee's schedule in this manner does not constitute a change in the employee's regular work schedule or shift nor does it create an opportunity whereby penalty pay or overtime can be incurred.

If the employee does not work to make up the amount of time used during the unpaid rest period, the employer is not required to compensate the employee for that time unless required by applicable law. The employer may not require an employee to use paid leave time to cover unpaid meal and rest periods used for expressing milk.

If the employee is not completely relieved from their job duties for the entire rest period, the rest period is considered hours worked. Supervisors who do not feel their employee can be completely relieved from their job duties must consult with EOA before making that decision.

A health insurance-eligible employee will have any unpaid rest periods that are taken to express milk counted toward the number of hours required in the month to meet benefits eligibility requirements.

If a lactation area, as identified below, is not within close proximity to the employee's work area, the time taken to travel to and from the location may not be included as part of the break period.

Close proximity is defined as within walking distance of the employee's work are so as not to appreciably shorten the employee's rest of meal period.

Lactation Area

An acceptable area for expression of milk includes the following:

University designated lactation rooms; 

The employee’s work area if the work area permits the employee to express milk concealed from view and without intrusion by other employees or the public, such as an office, and the area has an electrical outlet and seating; 

A room connected to a public restroom, such as a lounge, if the room allows the employee to express milk concealed from view and without intrusion by other employees or the public and the area has an electrical outlet and seating; 

A child care facility where the employee can express milk concealed from view and without intrusion by other employees or the public and the area has an electrical outlet and seating;

or 

An empty or unused office or conference room, so long as there is a door that closes, an electrical outlet and seating, and windows, if any, can be covered. University lactation room signage will be used to indicate that the room is in use. It is preferable that the signage be adhered to the door, if possible. At a minimum, the signage may be placed on the door handle.

If a lactation area, as identified above, is not available in close proximity to the employee’s work area, the employee’s dean, director, or department head is responsible for assisting the supervisor in identifying and providing a private location for the employee to express milk within close proximity to the work area. A private location is a place with an electrical outlet and seating, other than a public restroom or toilet stall, concealed from view and without intrusion by other employees or the public. 

The University will endeavor to include a lactation room in new building designs and, if feasible, in renovation or remodeling projects.

Top

Storage of Expressed Milk

The employee may bring a cooler or other container to work for storing their expressed milk. The supervisor is responsible for ensuring there is adequate space in the employee’s general work area to accommodate the cooler or container. If the employer allows employees access to refrigeration for personal use, the supervisor may allow, but cannot require, an employee who expresses milk during work hours to use the available refrigeration for storage.

Top

Breastfeeding in the Workplace

An employee may use a University designated lactation area to breastfeed their child, who has been brought to them during their rest breaks by a care provider or another such individual. A supervisor may allow an employee to use a private area in the work place, as identified in this policy, for breastfeeding during rest periods if such use of the space is compatible with operational needs and workplace safety considerations. Should the supervisor have concern about the child being in the workplace due to potential safety or worksite issues, the supervisor is to confer with the Director of Environmental Health and Safety or the Chief Human Resources Officer. In all cases, the supervisor has a responsibility to take into consideration the immediacy of the employee’s need when making lactation support arrangements.

Top

Exceptions

Exceptions to this policy may be granted where the Chief Human Resources Officer, or their designee, determines the exception to be in accordance with applicable rules and laws and to be in the best interest of the University.

Top

Dissemination of Policy and Related Information

University Human Resources is responsible for providing policy and procedure information regarding this policy to eligible employees.   

Top

Guidance, Consultation and Complaints

Questions or requests for assistance in implementing this policy or obtaining lactation room signage may be directed to the Family Resource Center, The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access, University Human Resources, or The Women and Gender Center.  Violations or complaints about implementation of this policy are to be directed to the Chief Human Resources Officer.  

References: PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act (S. 1658/H.R. 3110)
                      ORS 653.077
                      OAR 839-020-0051