I work with mostly men. I'm close to our office manager who has never had/wanted children.
Down the hall is another division of our agency and multiple women have had babies in that division recently. There is great drama going on about where these women can pump their breastmilk. People being called into closed door meetings about where there's room for this to happen, great debate over why some people (meaning only me, of course) think that somewhere other than the bathroom should be offered, etc.
I decided to announce that if anyone wants to use my office, please feel free. I don't care whether I'm in it working or not. It's just a boob, people!
I personally do not prepare my food in an office restroom, so I wouldn't want to prepare my child's there either. You should see the looks I'm getting when I say that to my co-workers.
Re: Only my office would turn this into drama.
How annoying! That's really great of you to offer your office...I would too if I was in your situation. The bathroom? Ridiculous!
My office has a separate "quiet room" with a locking door, refrigerator, sink, comfy reclining chair, etc. that women use for pumping. I'm glad they have something like that. I can't imagine what women do if there's no area available to them.
Twenty-four states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have laws related to breastfeeding in the workplace (Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming).
Va. House Joint Resolution 145 (2002) encourages employers to recognize the benefits of breastfeeding and to provide unpaid break time and appropriate space for employees to breastfeed or express milk.
And part of 145: The employer should make reasonable efforts to provide a room or other location, in close proximity to the work area, other than a toilet stall, where the employee can breast-feed or express her milk in privacy.
This!! In IA its the law!
LOL, you think that working for a state agency someone would have known/found about this. Thanks for the info! I'll see if I can find the VA Code section and pass it along.
I just googled VA state laws regarding breast feeding at work and came up with a site that had info for every state. I should have posted that link, but I'm sure you'll find it
.
I found it! I was going to see if there was a specific Code section, more than the Joint Resolution, that specifically referenced providing a place other than a bathroom, but it doesn't appear anywhere in the Code. Basically employers just have to provide "a room".
Kudos to you for offering your office! There is no place in my office so I guess I will be stuck in the public bathroom with another girl from a bank in our building who I see pumping in there. So gross. I wouldn't be surprised at all to find out that AZ didn't have any laws, it isn't the most "employee" friendly state.
Good for you! I'm glad you stepped up to be a mature person in your office. It is JUST a boob!