XP: what to say to HR about pumping at work?

SissyKate21

I plan to breast feed my baby. But I have to go back to work after 8 weeks. I know it will be a huge change for my work schedule to pump during the day. But I can't think of a good place for me to pump while at work. But I know it's the law (in MN) that the employer must give you the time and the place to do it.

How do I go about talking to our HR department about this? Any suggestions?

MrsGo4Hockeychick

Just ask where they would like you to pump. 

If they try to tell you to use a bathroom, bring up the law. They may already have something in place.  

preg_amy

Yeah, just tell them that you need to pump and tell them what times you need to pump.  Don't ask.  If they try to get you to change times and that's not possible, bring up the law.

At my first job after having DS, where I was during most of the time I was BFing, I did it in a bathroom.  I knew that the law said I didn't have to be in a bathroom.  But honestly, I worked at a small daycare and the only offices had huge windows without curtains/blinds.  The bathroom was big and clean and I had a chair and made it my own.

BUT, I knew that I didn't have to be there and if the conditions were worse, then I would have brought up the law and made them give me another place to pump.

At the second job I had, I only worked part time and only had two days that I needed to pump.  I just told the person who was in charge at the time that I needed to pump and asked where I should do it.  Both times, she found me an empty office.  I liked the bathroom better because there was running water. 

MrsAshley16

Like pp said, I'd just let them know when you return to work you need a place to pump. At my work, I didn't even know it, but they do have a special place for pumping mothers...never knew about it until I asked, so they may already have something in place.

BeccaMarie

I agree with everyone else - just tell them you need to know where you can pump.

Be prepared to have a come back if they say 'the bathroom'.

I would have the state statute already printed and ready to give to HR (you may not need to whip it out, but at least you have it, kwim?)

Also, be clear on what your expectations/needs for pumping time and space are.  (at one point I told someone I work with that I needed 3 15-20 minute blocks of time during the day, and he thought I could take all 3 breaks within a two hour period, lol)

More than once I had to kick people out of my pumping space at work (I wasn't shy about it either).  They need to understand that this should be treated no different than any other special medical need, and that your designated space needs to be available to you when you need it..  If your workplace isn't already pumping-friendly, teach them and make them be

Chances are your HR already has a designated space, but go prepared when you meet with HR.  (I am not saying to be defensive with them, just be clear as to what you need, and educate them if necessary)

Good luck!

And WTG on planning on pumping!  It definitely isn't easy (I work FT and we made it to 1 without formula) but very much worth it

 

 

farmbride28

I thought I read somewhere they only had to provide you a place if your company had over a certain amount of employees. I could be mistaken. I work for a tiny company and I had no choice but to pump in my car. I had a privacy wrap and parked in a secluded spot. It was better than the bathroom in my opinion.

MrsGo4Hockeychick

farmbride28:

I thought I read somewhere they only had to provide you a place if your company had over a certain amount of employees. I could be mistaken. I work for a tiny company and I had no choice but to pump in my car. I had a privacy wrap and parked in a secluded spot. It was better than the bathroom in my opinion.

 

Nope. It's ALL employers. https://www.llli.org/Law/Bills23.html 

MrsAshley16

Like pp said, it's all employers. However, the biggest part of the law to me is that they must make a "reasonable effort" to provide a room. This part aggrevates me.

I work for the state, in a huge building with hundreds of employees. When I returned to work, they showed me where they "lactation room" was. Great, you even had to have a key to enter. Perfect. Well...the "room" was actually a cubicle within a room, and the outside of the room was used by an employee for copying/heavy duty stapling/etc....and she decided that when she needed to use that space, she was using it, whether I was in the cubicle or not. There wasn't anything I could do about it, they higher-ups decided they were meeting the needs and that was that. To me, that was not "private". This time around, I will be much more insistant on the issue because I don't want the supply issues I had last time.

ericaandsy

MrsGo4Hockeychick:

farmbride28:

I thought I read somewhere they only had to provide you a place if your company had over a certain amount of employees. I could be mistaken. I work for a tiny company and I had no choice but to pump in my car. I had a privacy wrap and parked in a secluded spot. It was better than the bathroom in my opinion.

 

Nope. It's ALL employers. https://www.llli.org/Law/Bills23.html 

 

Thank you for this link!

eowynmn

It's not the law. The law is they must make a reasonable effort, and trust me - nothing holds up against that,  I'm still bitter about where I used to work and cherished the day I quit.  They made me pump in a bathroom. 

hopefully you suffer a better fate than I did.