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June 2011 Moms
bunnymama625
member
Pump room policy-- would you quit?
bunnymama625
member
So, one of my very best friends works down the hall and had her LO in Dec. She just got back from maternity leave and joined out pump room group. We have 1 room, 5 of us pumping-- it's been awful. As the last person to join, she has the crappiest pumping times.
Unfortunately, she works in our HR dept-- by dept I mean 4 people. She's over worked and her manager relies on her an insane amount considering her title and paygrade.
Well, her manager is sick of her not having a regular time, and never being at her desk when the manager feels like walking over there. So she's asking the firm to review the policy for pumping mothers. She told my friend that she didn't want it in her hands since she's too close to the issue-- give me a break-- by forcing it into a policy discussion, she's made it a "thing". She said she thinks my friend is "gone too much".
Right now, we all get to go pump, on the company clock, 3 times a day, no one stresses as long as your work gets done. The only thing I can see them doing is making us give up lunch and/or making us work more hours to make up the time. Because of my delicate schedule with Cam and daycare and commuting, there is NO WAY I can work longer, and honestly I spend most of my days bored silly, so it would be stupid for me to be here more.
From what her manager said, my friend thinks they are going to go this way, saying we are pumping on our own time and have to make it up. I know legally they can do this, but with my supply issues, etc-- I think this might be a deal breaker for me. Frankly, I was planning on quitting this summer anyway.
If your company changed their pumping policy like this, would you quit or stay?
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Re: Pump room policy-- would you quit?
The company is being generous by letting you pump on their time. If the new policy doesn't work for you than you may have to make a choice. If you plan on working for another employer someday though you may have to say the policy didn't work for you which could make you seem a bit difficult to work with.
Going a little off topic, you seem to be talking about quitting all the time. I know you're slated to quit in the summer but why not just pull the trigger and end it on your terms instead of this pumping issue looming over your head?
I pumped on work time and had they made me clock out to do so, wouldn't have been an issue for me either. I would have liked to have an actual room to pump like you do, but had to resort to using the handicap shower stall in the gym locker room.
I think you need to decide how bad you need this job to determine if you quit or stay. I personally wouldn't quit over this, but I also plan to be here long term. You already plan to leave in the summer.
I know they are being super generous- I'm just hoping they continue the generousness instead of taking it away 8 months in...
I don't think I'll have to say that's why I quit-- we aren't planning on me going back to work full time until we are done having babies--
Why I haven't quit yet: money/DH's job-- if I wait to quit until the summer, we should be set financially and should know for sure that he passed all the stuff for this IRS job he's been up for, maybe even know where they are moving us. If I quit now, we wouldn't have much of a cushion and there is still the chance that they say he didn't pass some part of the background check or something and rescind the job offer. Even if he gets it, he wouldn't start until next fall- with NYC rent, etc, the longer I can work, the better off we'll be.
That said, I'm DYING to get out of here!
If you are taking company time to smoke or to pump I think you are stealing (unless you are a salaried employee). I know everyone does it but it still does not make it right.
And with that many of you forced to share one pump room I really feel that it should be cut down to a max of 2x per day per employee. If you need it more then go pump in your car.
wow-- um-- well-- the policy is to take company time now-- so I don't think I'm stealing... the manager wants to revisit that policy.
this is NYC-- no one drove here-- there are no cars to go pump in. There are also no outlets in the bathroom except next to the door, and we are not allowed to use conference rooms.
Really??
Not everyone has a car.
room only fits one person-- when you open the door, it hits the one chair.
I shouldn't quit until DH is set with his next job- but I could. He wouldn't be happy, but we wouldn't go under financially either.
B/c if you are hourly you are being paid to work for every our. If you are taking time during that hour to be paid and you are not working that is theft.
It is the same like if you are late to work 5 mins each day but then you said you came in at 8 am.
If you are salaried then you are paid a flat amount for getting the job done whether or not you work 8 hours or 6 hours. Hence you being away from your desk is not theft of company time.
No ofense but I though this is common knowledge?
Or somewhere else. How is it fair for someone to pump 3x and someone else only get to pump once just b/c they had their baby after the aformentioned person?
Is it really stealing if the employer is fully aware of it and allows it? This seems like a rather harsh statement. I don't know. I mean, I see hourly employees in the cafe daily for an hour lunch and when I see their time cards I know that half of them aren't punching out on a regular basis and that pisses me off especially since I punch out to go to the gym over lunch and always end up being a few minutes over an hour and even when I don't go to the gym I still punch out for lunch and end up on the phone for work stuff or caught by someone in the hall for work stuff. But with pumping (and smoking for that matter...even though I quit long ago) most companies I worked for allowed two 15 minute paid breaks a day in addition to lunch.
MPZ born June 2011
TTC #2 ... Cycle 1-3: IUI = BFN | Cycle 4: IVF ... canceled but 3 snow babies
Cycle 5: FET .. BFP! | EDD - 3/15/2014
In your words, his job isn't set in stone, and even if it is, things change (coming from a person who's DH has been unemployed for the last 8 months). Unless you are truely debt free (that means own your own house, with no mortgage, no car notes (if you have a car), and money in savings to replace your car if/when it does break),your retirement savings is all set, your college savings are all set for your LO, and all future LO's and have 6 months of living expenses banked I wouldn't consider yourself "financially stable".
Bad things happen to good people, it sucks, but how bad would you feel if you quit your job only to find out your DH didn't pass a test, or get a security clearance? Where would you be then? Complaining over not having time/place to pump on company time is really petty IMO. Find an empty office, or co worker who will let you borrow their office while they are on lunch.
ok-- I'm not complaining that I can't pump on company time-- I'm complaining if they require me to work more hours per day to make up for pumping-- with drop off/pick up times at daycare, I can't do that.
I already pump at lunch time-- so do the other girls-- there isn't much leeway there.
You are complaining that you might have to make up the time that you are using to pump, and you can't stay late or go in early, so YES you are complaining about not being able to use company time to pump.
As for not having outlets in the bathroom, how about investing in a rechargeable battery pack? Again, not ideal, but if you want to BF that bad make it happen, that's what other people do.
ETA: would you feel the same way if you were the 5th mom coming to pump? Why does she get the times that are "left over" because every one was there before her? Establishing your supply is important in the beginning, she deserves to get a good schedule as well. wouldn't you want the same thing for you?
Outside your paid breaks of course
I see what you are saying-- I guess what I meant is I wouldn't mind if they said they weren't going to pay me for that time, I mind if I would have to stay extra hours. So I'd rather be docked-- does that make sense?
A rechargeable battery pack isn't a bad idea-- but I have pump times in the room since I was mom#3. Not a huge issue for me. More for my friend who doesn't have regular times.
No, I don't think it's fair that as mom #5 she gets the crappy times left over, but which mom should have to give up their times? Me at 8 months? the mom who has a 15month old? the one with a 5 mo old? who would make that call?
hold on I thought you said earlier that the latest girls manager was getting annoyed b/c she seemed to never be at her desk. I was not attacking you for pumping during your work time. You are salaried so it does not matter. What I am saying is that the girl's manager has the right to be annoyed that she seems to be never at her desk.
What I am also saying is that it isn't fair for someone not to be able to have a set time to use the pump room 1x if there are other people who are using it 2 and 3 times per day.
she is also "salaried" but I think you and I are missing each other on what that means-- we aren't hourly, we get a flat salary, but we are expected to be in for 8 hours (including lunch). We don't punch in and out and we aren't docked if late, leaving a little early, etc, but we do get overtime if we go over the 8 hours. You just have to tell your manager.
I get that it isn't "fair" for her to get the crap pumping times, but I also don't see much of a way around it without taking away from other people's pump times. I can tell you with my supply problems, I'm not willing to give up one of my times, and I doubt anyone else is either.
https://www.dol.gov/whd/nursingmothers/
My computer is being stupid and wont let me make a clicky but as this site states your mommy of the 15th month old should be the first one to lose her pump time:
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (?Affordable Care Act?) amended section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act (?FLSA?) to require employers to provide reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for one year after the child?s birth each time such employee has need to express the milk. Employers are also required to provide a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk. The break time requirement became effective when the Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23, 2010. The Wage and Hour Fact Sheet #73 ?Break Time for Nursing Mothers under the FLSA? and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) posted below provide basic information about the law.
Edit double post.
WOW, I MEAN.... WOW - it's posts like this that make me so thankful for our work conditions and allowances here in Australia. we are allowed to pump on the clock - in fact it's written into most agreements that a mother return to work should be given 20 mins 3 x a day to express milk if she is breat feeding.
I really do LOVE my country. AWESOME MEDICAL INSURANCE and just all round good working conditions! you all should move down under!
I would be living there had my mother not gotten pregnant with my younger brother. Seriously. They were all set to move and she got pregnant, that plan was nixed and we remained in good ol' northwest Ohio.
Honestly every time a new mom came in you should have reworked the schedule so everyone has fair times, and if that means you lose a session, work it so you can take 1 session somewhere else. If you had done this to begin with your friend's boss might not have complained and they wouldn't be "reviewing" the current policy.
I work for a very small company, so they don't even have to provide a room for me. I have a "do not disturb" sign and some tape, find an empty office, close the door (there are no locks) and face away from the door when I pump, in case someone can't READ the sign. I either come in early, stay late, cut my lunch hour short, or a combination of all three, to get my three sessions in. You aren't the only person with supply issues, that isn't even relevant to the discussion other than to get people to feel sorry about your situation.
As for the PP who mentioned Australia, I visited there for a month when I was younger and would LOVE to live there, (or Canada which has a year long, paid maternity leave), but I think we are stuck in NY for life.
Personally I wouldn't quit over it, but I do think it sucks that the 5 of you have to share a teeny room. I do pump in the bathroom sometimes when my usual pumping spot is occupied, it's not ideal but I have batteries in my Ameda Purely Yours so it works. You should definitely rework the schedule every time a new mom comes back, it's not fair to the new mom that the one with the 15 month old should keep getting the times she wants when her supply is probably pretty well established.
I know it's not the law that they have to pay for your pumping time, but the law is a minimum standard - just because it's not required doesn't mean it isn't the right thing for them to do. Supporting working mamas is good for business, it discourages turnover. I would try to argue this point, maybe you can find some studies or articles showing the benefits of family-friendly policies for businesses.
wow-- harsh? I actually am the only one in the group here with supply issues. The new mom has oversupply, and one with a 1yr old has had a slight dip- everyone else is steady. Not that this matters...
I don't run the schedule- the mom with the 15mo old does. With 5 people using one room in 30 min slots 3 times a day each... if you do the math, you'll see there isn't a way to really work that out for everyone. Her manager also would be reviewing the policy regardless-- she doesn't like how often she's gone pumping-- while having regular pumping times would help, she would still be annoyed at the total time. Maybe the answer is for someone up higher to run the schedule and kick people out after 1 yr. I don't know- not my call.
I'm sorry you have to do all that to pump, but I don't think that means I shouldn't be upset about our situation here- that's kind of the "someone always has it worse" argument. If I remember correctly you have a nanny for your kids-- I have a daycare- I already drop her off the minute it opens, and pick her up shortly before closing- I can't come early or stay late, and I already miss half my lunch most days.
Your words "her manager is sick of her not having a regular pumping time"- maybe if she did have a regular time, then her manager wouldn't be reviewing the policy, maybe not-but that was your original post. I guess things change.
I don't want you to feel bad for me, I was merely pointing out that your pitty me attitude isn't going to get you anywhere. Buck up and figure out a way to work it out. Other people have posted what they do to make it work and all you keep saying, is "I shouldn't HAVE to do that" well guess what YOU DO. BFing is important to me, I've done it for all of my kids no matter what the circumstances.
As for not having time, lets to the math: 5 women, 3 times per day, 20 minutes each.. that's 5 hours... tell me again why this isn't possible?
I don't have a nanny, I have an au pair and two kids in preschool. I don't see how that is any different than your daycare. I have 45 hours per week of care (for the au pair), and can only use 10 hours per day. I have a schedule with set times, I can't just show up 30 minutes late and expect that to be OK. The preschool charges a late fee if you are more than 10 minutes late and you can get "expelled" if you make a habit of it.
Again, don't feel bad for me, this is life, either eat lemons, or find yourself some sugar and make lemonade!
I'm not having a "pity me" attitude- I was asking if people would quit if they were facing a change in their work's pumping policy-- some people said yes, some no- end of question
some people had suggestions-- I never said I shouldn't "have" to do those things, I'm saying they aren't possible for me. I can't go pump in my car, I don't have a car. I can't go in early or late b/c of daycare, and I already pump during lunch. I can't skip a session b/c of my supply problem (it's a reason, not attempting to make you feel sorry for me). If you have another one, by all means, share it. And just saying to "make it work"? not helpful. Why post at all if that's all you have to say?
the pump slots are 30 min each, not 20. That's 7.5 hours in an 8 hour work day. The entire firm works on a 30 min schedule for everything- meetings, reservations, lunch times, coverage, everything. If you can pump in 20 min and get enough, your boobs are awesome and I envy you. But I definitely need the 30 min. I'll try to have a conversation with my boobs and tell them to work faster b/c you think they should deal with the circumstances.
Really Bunnymama I think you should be happy for the things you have, really other have it much worse. You and your husbands BOTH HAVE JOBS, you have a place to live and SAVINGS how ever big or small you think it is its there. Your daughter is HAPPY AND HEALTHY and this is such a minor issue in the grand scheme of things its really ridiculous.
Sure you have supply issues but you have been able to get supplements and things to help it, sure it sucks but many of us have not been able to take the kind of measures you have been able to to keep a supply. I wish I could have taken more measures to help my supply but it is not affordable for my family because neither my husband or I have a job. We had to give up our entire way of life and move across the entire country in the middle of d@m winter just so we had a roof over our head and the possibility of work not even a tentative offer or even an interview set up. Just the hope that maybe we could find something out here.
I could come here and complain about my life and how much my In-Law drive me up a wall, annoy the crap out of me, make me wish daily I had another choice but I don't and believe me I could go on and on about how much things suck for me right now but I wont.
Please take what you can get or quit its up to you but frankly IMO leave us out of it.
Here: post this on your office tomorrow:
Okay I was gonna stay out of this post but I have to say, I'm seriously disappointed in people's responses here. Three of you in particular are being a little rude: vigurl, mammabear, and tulipblossom.
vigurl: I think you're probably a very likeable person IRL, but on the internet, you come across very harsh. Seriously, take like 5 seconds to review your stuff before you click post. It's far easier for one person to make the change than for a community of us to modify for you.
mammabear: I normally think you're super cool and I have shiitons of respect for you for raising so many kids. But your posts on this matter are just out of line. Her original post asked what you would, not what she should do, and even if it did at any point in time morph into that, seriously? We're gonna get up in arms over the fact that this bothers her?
tulipblossom: Normally I like you as well but your last post is completely uncalled for. This board is for support, not just questions, and it is a place where many of us air our grievances. I haven't seen you post similar "hey your situation is not as bad as mine suck it up and deal with it" posts on anyone else's posts. Why start now? I agree that it sounds like your situation sucks balls, but it is terribly inappropriate for you to minimize whatever pains someone else is having simply because they are not as bad as yours. We all have issues with perspective when things for us isn't going well, and therefore our tolerance of others is lower, but really, take a step back and listen to yourself and see if it's how you would want to be spoken to if the situations were reversed.
In closing, while I agree that this is the internet and we don't have to be nice to each other since we're all faceless entities, please remember that we are ALL people, and deserve to be spoken to with respect and compassion. If you can't do that, go to another board.
Well said
Wooooooooooo!!!!
I agree with all of that ^^^.
There were some mean responses here that I don't think were necessary.