FILE:  GAMJA

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR EMPLOYEES TO EXPRESS BREAST MILK

Each school within the St. Tammany Parish School District shall provide a clean, private room, other than a restroom, where employees can express breast milk. This room must:

• Be shielded from view and free from intrusion.
  
  

• Provide a comfortable and hygienic environment to support the needs of nursing employees.
  
  

• Ensure that the room is available for use up to one year following the birth of the employee’s child.

Further, each school shall provide a reasonable amount of break time to accommodate an employee needing to express breast milk that, to the extent possible, shall run concurrently with the break time already provided to the employee, and that shall be available to the employee for up to one year following the birth of her child.  Any additional break time used by an employee to express breast milk shall be considered unpaid leave time unless the employee is not fully relieved of duties, in which case the break time shall be paid as per the PUMP Act.

The employee shall notify her supervisor or other appropriate personnel in writing of her intent to utilize the accommodations offered pursuant to this policy and to schedule accordingly. Supervisors will work with employees to develop a mutually agreeable schedule that accommodates the needs of the employee while minimizing disruption to the workplace.

The PUMP Act extends legal protections to nearly all workers, including teachers, staff administration, and others. Employees have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD).  It is illegal for an employer to fire or discriminate against an employee for requesting accommodations under this policy or for filing a complaint regarding non-compliance.

Lactating employees typically need to express milk 2-3 times during an 8-hour workday or 3-4 times during a 12-hour shift. Failing to express milk regularly can negatively affect the employee’s health, leading to decreased milk supply, discomfort, and a higher risk of infection.

Nothing in this policy shall be construed to require the St. Tammany Parish School Board to incur any additional cost as a result of this policy.

Ref:    La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:81(W)

Federal Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) Act of 2023

Board minutes, 1-11-18, 11-14-24

St. Tammany Parish School Board