Lactation Room

Queens College Lactation Room

In recognition of the importance and benefits of breastfeeding and in compliance with state and federal law, Queens College, supports the rights of those parents choosing to nurse, at school and in the workplace. Queens College is dedicated to making its best effort to accommodate requests from nursing parents for break time and a private space to express milk on campus.
 
Queens College is required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as well as New York State Labor Law, to provide certain protections and benefits to employees who are nursing. Queens College is also prohibited by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 from discriminating against students on the basis of sex, including pregnancy and related conditions. Therefore, Queens College is updating its employee lactation policy to explicitly permit students to use lactation rooms.
 
Queens College will provide its employees reasonable break time for up to three years after they give birth to express milk. An employee may utilize paid break periods to express milk, take an unpaid break period, or make up the time they may need by extending the workday. Queens College will also provide to employees, upon request, a room or other location, in reasonably close proximity to the work area where they can express milk in privacy. The room will not be a bathroom, and it will be shielded from view and free from intrusion from co-workers and the public. These rooms will be made available to students based on availability, on a first-come, first-served basis.
 
Queens College has established the following space as available lactation room:
  • Kiely 134E (located within suite 111)

To gain access, employees should contact Human Resources at 718-997-4455 and students should contact Health Services at 718-997-2760.

Responsibilities of Employees

Requests for time off to express milk: Discuss your request with your supervisor. You may request reasonable unpaid break time and/or use your paid breaks or meal times for this purpose. Time used to express milk may be made up at the beginning or end of the work day. Generally, a maximum of 15-25 minutes three times a day should be sufficient, depending on how far away the location is from your work space.

Responsibilities of Supervisors

Supervisors should grant reasonable requests for unpaid break time and/or the use of paid breaks or mealtimes for lactation. Time used to express milk may be made up at the beginning or end of the day. Generally, a maximum of 15-25 minutes three times a day should be sufficient, depending on how far the lactation room is from the employee’s workspace. The employee should be able to tell you approximately what time they will need breaks and how long it will take. However, be prepared to be flexible.

Please consult with the Director of Human Resources should any difficulties arise in complying with the mandates of these laws. Federal and state law explicitly prohibits discrimination against an employee who chooses to express milk in the workplace.

Responsibilities of Students

Students will have access to lactation rooms based on availability and on a first-come, first-served basis, and may need to schedule access ahead of time, depending on employee use. Please consult with the Health Service Center.

For more information, please check the following CUNY lactation room policy and procedure:
Policy: https://www2.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/administration/offices/hr/policies-and-procedures/Lactation-Room-Policy-03.18.19.pdf

Procedure: https://www2.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/administration/offices/hr/policies-and-procedures/Procedures-for-Implementing-CUNY-Lactation-Room-Policy-03.18.19.pdf