- What does the new healthcare law mean for my company?
- My company has less than 50 employees, does the new healthcare law mean I have to have a lactation room?
- How will my business benefit from a corporate lactation program?
- What about existing state laws?
- How have other organizations met the challenge of providing a lactation room?
What does the new healthcare law mean for my company?
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (also known as Health Care Reform) is now law.
Section 4207 “Reasonable Break Time For Nursing Mothers” states that employers with more than 50 employees must provide breastfeeding mothers with “reasonable break time” and a private place to express breastmilk during the workday (NOT a bathroom) until the child’s first birthday. The law was effective immediately upon signing; however the rules are currently being drafted by the Department of Labor.
My company has less than 50 employees, does the new healthcare law mean I have to have a lactation room
You do not have to comply with the new law if it will cause undue burden or hardship, but you will benefit from lower healthcare costs and increased efficiency if you take this opportunity to address the concerns of breastfeeding mothers and incorporate a lactation program as part of your healthcare offerings.
Learn more about the scope of the new law and how it applies to employees at the US Breastfeeding Committee Website.
How will my business benefit from a corporate lactation program?
Let me count the ways…
- Lower health care and insurance costs
- Avoid “brain drain” from employee turnover
- Reduce sick time taken by parents for children’s illnesses
- Higher employee satisfaction
You’ll find extensive information on the business case for breastfeeding and much more about women’s health at womenshealth.gov.
What about existing state laws?
Many states already have laws on the books addressing an employer’s obligation to accommodate nursing mothers who continue to breastfeed after returning from maternity leave. The new federal law will provide a minimum level of support in all states, but if an existing state law provides stronger protections, the state law will prevail.
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) maintains a list of state-specific breastfeeding laws.
How have other organizations met the challenge of providing a lactation room?
Many organizations wonder how they will ever meet the requirements of providing a private space, shielded from view and not in a bathroom. A new website has just opened that is sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Women’s Health. To see how organizations from many different industries have created a compliant space, please click on this link.