California: 5 Lactation Workplace Rights Every Breastfeeding Parent Should Know
Thinking of continuing to breastfeed / chest-feed when you go back to work? California is one of the few states in the U.S. that has strong lactation accommodation rights for breastfeeding / chest-feeding parents who want to continue expressing milk. Below are 5 accommodation rights you should know about before you go back to work.
All employees have the right to a private space, that’s NOT a bathroom, close to their workspace that is safe, clean, and free from hazardous materials.
All employers must have a written lactation accommodation policy.
The space must contain a place to sit, a surface to place a breast pump, and have access to electricity.
All breastfeeding / chest-feeding employees must be provided with access to a refrigerator and sink.
Employers with less than 50 employees may not provide the space requirement ONLY IF they can show it is an undue hardship (if employer has over 50 employees, they MUST provide space).
These rights are fairly recent, which is why many California employers are not aware of their responsibilities to accommodate their breastfeeding / chest-feeding employees.
Know your rights to enforce your rights, but if your employer isn’t honoring your request for accommodations, reach out to our legal partners Legal Aid at Work. They are a nonprofit that offers free legal services to working people in California, and they can help you out!
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