Employer Resources
Workplace lactation support helps employees return to work, maintain breastfeeding, and continue contributing to your organization. These resources can help employers build practical policies, spaces, and break-time plans.
Build a Lactation Support Policy
Texas Department of State Health Services may designate a business as a Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite if it has a written and communicated lactation support policy. The policy should include work pattern flexibility and break time, a private non-bathroom place to express milk, access to a nearby clean and safe water source, and storage options for breast milk.
Use these resources to create clear policies, provide lactation space, support break time, and strengthen your workplace lactation program.
Texas Resources
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Use this resource to review Texas and federal laws related to workplace lactation support.
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Use this Texas Department of State Health Services resource to create or strengthen your lactation support program.
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Use this page to apply for Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite designation.
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Use this resource from the Texas-MotherFriendly Worksite Program to develop and/or review your policies related to workplace lactation support.
United States Breastfeeding Committee Workplace Lactation Accommodations: Employer Toolkit
This toolkit includes sample policy language, lactation space ideas, break-time planning guidance, and frequently asked questions. The toolkit notes that the PUMP Act expanded break time and private space protections to nearly every worker in the United States.
Federal Resources
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Use this federal resource to understand employer requirements under the PUMP Act.
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Use this resource to review employee rights related to time and place to pump at work.
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Use this resource to learn about the federal law Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act.
What Employers Should Provide
At a minimum, plan for:
Reasonable break time
A private space that is not a bathroom
A space shielded from view
A space free from intrusion
Practical Space Options
A lactation space does not always need to be permanent. Employers may use a dedicated lactation room, converted conference room, multi-use room, manager’s office, mobile space, or other temporary space if it is private, safe, functional, available when needed, and not a bathroom. The United States Breastfeeding Committee toolkit includes examples of lactation suites, converted conference rooms, mobile spaces, multi-use rooms, and converted closets.
Go Beyond the Basics
Employers can improve support by adding features such as a dedicated lactation room, comfortable seating, a dedicated refrigerator, lockers for pumping supplies, or an electronic scheduling system. Texas Department of State Health Services lists these as examples of stronger worksite support.