An amendment to Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires employers to provide nonexempt nursing mothers with reasonable break time and a sanitary, private space, that is not a bathroom, to pump milk at work. This law spotlights an important health issue and seeks to help remove the workplace as a barrier to breastfeeding for many—especially working mothers in hourly positions who oftentimes lack access to the scheduling flexibility, sanitary facilities and the supportive managers they need to continue breastfeeding after they return to work. There is still much that needs to be done, however, to educate businesses and employees about this law and the benefits of workplace support for nursing mothers.

Corporate Voices for Working Families with Working Mother Media has published an updated online workplace lactation toolkit to help employers establish successful workplace lactation programs and comply with new provisions to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) passed into law with health care reform.

The lactation toolkit provides new moms with tips and information for successful breastfeeding as well as how to make sure she is appropriately accomodated at work.

For the employer the toolkit offers free, practical, high-quality guides, worksheets, employer talking points, resource flyers in multiple languages, posters, as well as success stories showcasing best practices in lactation support.

The toolkit is available online at: www.corporatevoices.org/lactation.

In fact, in 2010 only 28 percent of businesses nationwide had lactation programs. And, according to a nationwide public opinion poll conducted for Corporate Voices by Public Policy Polling, 57 percent of people are not aware of the new federal workplace lactation law.

Given that mothers with infants are one of the largest and fastest-growing segments in the workforce, particularly in lower-wage industries, helping to support nursing mothers at work is a priority for the economic security and health of mothers, infants and working families in America.

Access the online lactation toolkit