Pumping at Work

[dsaucone]

Alright, so I'm a bit confused on what to do.

I need to pump once a day at work. Only once. It takes about 10minutes (15 max). During the week I pump in my manager's office. I'm having issues with the weekend pumpings. I need to call a supervisor to come unlock the door for me. (They won't unlock it unless I'm on my lunch break.) I have a 1/2 hour lunch break in order to eat and pump. Which worked out okay the first time. The next day I called her at 10:45 and by noon she still hadn't come up to unlock the door. I ended up using a conference room (with no lock, a partcially see-through curtain over the big huge glass window (facing the hallway) that takes up most of the room and the door which has glass cutouts with no cover. Then today I ended up having to use the room again. Out of 3 days I've ended up using this conference room twice.

I understand things happen and they can't always leave a situation, but I still need to be able to pump. And privately.

I was thinking about talking to my manager on Monday. I don't want to be a pita, but I can't afford to be a pushover either. What should I say?

I know things differ by state, I'm in NY.

I think this is the right place for this, if not sorry.

[mamajake]

See Pumping 9-5.

New York State has a relatively new workplace pumping law which states:

§ 206-c. Right of nursing mothers to express breast milk. An employer
shall provide reasonable unpaid break time or permit an employee to use
paid break time or meal time each day to allow an employee to express
breast milk for her nursing child for up to three years following child
birth. The employer shall make reasonable efforts to provide a room or
other location, in close proximity to the work area, where an employee
can express milk in privacy. No employer shall discriminate in any way
against an employee who chooses to express breast milk in the work
place.

The new(ish) law does not have an obvious enforcement provision but I have heard that the NYS Department of Labor has been taking complaints. I can't be sure about that but I would start by letting your employer know what the law is. Looks like you are not being given a private space (at the very least). If your employer does not agree to comply with the state law, I would contact the NYS Department of Labor.

HTH.

[julie128]

Woah! I love that they say your employer has to let you pump at work for three years after the birth of your baby.

[Sanveann]

Is it possible she doesn't understand the discomfort that can come with not being able to pump when you need to? I would emphasize that to her, along with the possibility that if you aren't able to pump when you need, you could end up with complications.

[mum21andtwins]

Originally Posted by Sanveann

Is it possible she doesn't understand the discomfort that can come with not being able to pump when you need to? I would emphasize that to her, along with the possibility that if you aren't able to pump when you need, you could end up with complications.

that and you probably want to spell that out because complications is vague and people can be very ignorant

[Chandar]

I would also check if your employer/company has a pumping at work policy. Many larger corporations do. If you do it is another thing to bring to your managers attention when you bring in the law like reinforcements.

Chandra

[kriket]

is your schedule such that you can be ready to have the door unlocked at the same time on the weekends? That way every day at 10.45 security meets you at the office? Honestly, I would be a PITA about it. I don't know about your personal comfort level, but I dread having to take a break to go to our pumping area (empty conference room) I would rather just pull a curtain or get a cover. I can be brash tho.

[Bekka]

Is there any way you could have a key to said office made, and only use it for pumping? Then you could turn it in when you are done pumping?

[dsaucone]

mamajake - thanks!

Originally Posted by Bekka

Is there any way you could have a key to said office made, and only use it for pumping? Then you could turn it in when you are done pumping?

That was the original plan between me and the assistant manager. However, my manager said no and the compromise was to have the supervisor unlock the door.

Originally Posted by kriket

is your schedule such that you can be ready to have the door unlocked at the same time on the weekends? That way every day at 10.45 security meets you at the office? Honestly, I would be a PITA about it. I don't know about your personal comfort level, but I dread having to take a break to go to our pumping area (empty conference room) I would rather just pull a curtain or get a cover. I can be brash tho.

That's what I was going to do. The only reason it worked the first day was because the supervisor was up dealing with a sick resident and I grabbed her real quick and had her unlock the door for me. The second day I had the nurse page her at 10:45. She said she'd be right up. At 12 she still wasn't there. They get busy and I can understand that, but still.

Originally Posted by Chandar

I would also check if your employer/company has a pumping at work policy. Many larger corporations do. If you do it is another thing to bring to your managers attention when you bring in the law like reinforcements.

Chandra

Good Idea, thanks!