Employer Resources

Employers benefit when they support breastfeeding:

• Lower absenteeism: Mothers with formula fed children missed work because their children were ill three times more often compared to mothers who breastfed their children.
• Higher productivity
• Higher company loyalty
• Higher employee morale
• Lower health care costs

Source: United States Breastfeeding Committee

Sample Employer Policies for Supporting Breastfeeding Employees:

• Policy for Supporting Breastfeeding Employees ​ – Office on Women’s Health – Business Case for Breastfeeding
• Sample Worksite Breastfeeding Policy – Wisconsin Dept. of Health & Family Services/Wisconsin Breastfeeding Coalition
• Worksite Breastfeeding Policy– Oklahoma State Department of Health

 
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Workplace Breastfeeding Issues in the News

• U.S. Department of Labor and Bank of America Sign Agreement Implementing Companywide Program to Enhance Working Environment for Nursing Mothers,  August 6, 2020

Other Helpful Links for Employers:

• Guide to the Rights of Breastfeeding Employees in Oklahoma - Shows how federal and state laws affect Oklahoma working parents
• Breastfeeding Works Brochure (pdf, 177 KB) – Guidelines to become an Oklahoma Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite from COBA, OK Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition, and the Preparing for a Lifetime Initiative to Reduce Infant Mortality
• Application for Recognition as an Oklahoma Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite
• Supporting Breastfeeding in the Workplace - policy brief from the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (2015)
• ​​Supporting Nursing Moms at Work – Online resource from Womenshealth.gov for various industries (updated 2019)
  • Convenience Store Solutions
• Break Time for Nursing Mothers Under the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) – Department of Labor Fact Sheet #73
• Department of Labor FAQ about break time for nursing mothers​​
• Business Case for Breastfeeding (Office on Women's Health – Toolkit for Workplace Breastfeeding Support)​​
• Breastfeeding Benefits Coverage in the Affordable Care Act – Toolkit from National Women’s Law Center (pdf, 11 pages) – includes an explanation of the law, sample scripts & letters for contacting insurers about coverage of breastfeeding equipment (including PUMPS) and lactation care, and a ​Q & A section​​.
• Harvard Business Review’s 2019 summary of why and how to accommodate breastfeeding employees
  ​https://hbr.org/2019/04/how-companies-can-support-breastfeeding-employees

Need Assistance?
Your Local Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite Regional Coordinator can share information and offer assistance!

• Click here to contact your local coordinator.

OSDH WIC Public Service Announcements about working and breastfeeding:

"WIC Employer - Childcare Support" -- English:
https://youtu.be/pUk5cxByJSU

"Support Breastfeeding, It's Worth It" -- English​​:
​http://www.ok.gov/health/multimedia/PRHD-v9%209246%20Breastfeeding_CC_approval_3.mov​​
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"Support Breastfeeding, It's Worth It" -- Spanish:
​http://www.ok.gov/health/multimedia/PRHD-v3%209246%20Breastfeeding_spnsh_OpenCC_3.mov​​
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"Support the Breastfeeding, Working Mother" – English: http://www.ok.gov/cmsfiles/wic/support.html

Page built by ACM 2015; last updated 8/2021 by CC