Question for moms who pump at work

[Harley Quinn]

Hi, ladies!

I've been back at work for two weeks now, and I'm just starting to get into a routine for when to pump. I've been having discussions with my manager about it as things have been changing and I've been needing to pump twice per day instead of just once.

My question for you ladies is this: How much time out of your work day do you take to pump, and are you paid for that time?

For example, are you allowed to take extra breaks whenever you need to pump, or are you only allowed to pump on your regularly scheduled breaks? Do you have to make up any extra time you spend pumping beyond your normally allotted break time?

I'm just really curious what your employers' policies are on this. Especially if you live in Canada (and even moreso if you are in BC).

Thanks in advance! Can't wait to see your replies!

 

[ButterCup17]

There is a labor law in the US that says employees can pump as often as they need to for up to a year after birth without having to compensate the time. And they have to provide an area to do it that is not a bathroom

 

[Proserpina]

I went back to work when my son was 5.5 months and still exclusively breastfed. I would pump just before I got on the commute to work (6 AM), on my first paid break (10:15 AM), on my unpaid lunch break (12:15-12:45 PM), and on my second and final paid break (3:15 PM). I would also usually pump just before going to bed. I was using an Ameda Purely Yours double electric pump, and usually pumped in an empty manager's office. My shift is 8:30 to 4:30 PM (7.5 hours paid and a 30-minute unpaid lunch).

Now my son is 7.5 months and I've gotten my insurance to cover a second pump, the Medela Pump-in-Style Advanced. He's eating plenty of solids now. I've managed to drop back to just two pumping sessions, on my morning and afternoon paid breaks, leaving my lunch free to relax. I don't have to pump before work or before bed, either.

My employer's policy (the state of Illinois) is that I have to use my breaks for pumping if I want to pump. If I needed more than 3 sessions a day, they would have to accommodate me, and they would not have to pay me for them.

 

[misspriss]

My employer is quite generous. I am salaried, I pump 3x per day and I don't have to make it up. Since I'm salaried, I am paid for it. I still take my lunch. My employer goes above and beyond, and I am grateful. I take about 25 minutes. I don't expect I would get that elsewhere.

 

[akilgore2012]

I pump 3 times during my 12 hour work shifts for 20 minutes each session. I get paid but if a patient comes in during that time I have to stop and help.

 

[mamaduke]

I used to pump once I arrived at the client's, during lunch, and then before getting DS1 from daycare. I didn't bill the client for that time. I'm a contractor, though... not an employee.

 

[SarahBear]

I pumped on my 15 minute break and on my lunch break, so no extra breaks. I'm not sure what actual policies were, but was able to make it work within the normal break schedule.

 

[Calif]

I pump twice at work. I pump for 30. Their lactation room is converted from an office so I have access to a computer and phone to do work. Either way I don't make it up. My work is really good about this. For a while I didn't even do my work while pumping because I had to look at baby pics to pump lol.

 

[Harley Quinn]

Thanks for your replies, ladies!

If any of you have links to your coutry/state's policies, or even if your work has a specific policy on it, I'd love to read it.

I'm having trouble finding one for my province specifically, but this is what I've found for Canada in general: https://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/eng/content/policy-and-best-practices-page-2

The part related to pumping:

During an employee’s return to work post-pregnancy

-Employees should return to the same job or a similar job, if the original job no longer exists.
-Employees should receive any wage increases that came into effect while they were on maternity leave.
-Employees who breastfeed or express/pump breast milk should be provided with accommodation for this purpose.

Accommodation can include:
-Providing a suitable clean place to breast-feed or express milk and to store milk.
-Providing longer or extra breaks for the purpose of breast-feeding or expressing milk.
-Allowing for the extension of maternity leave.
-Allowing for alternative work arrangements.

My manager and I both agree that I should be given extra or longer breaks to pump, but where we disagree is whether I have to work longer (or skip my regularly scheduled breaks) to make up for the time I pump. We've settled on a 50/50 compromise, where I use one of my 15 minute breaks to pump and then my other 15 minute pump session is during paid time but I don't have to make it up.

My boss seemed to think it would be VERY rare for a company to let a woman pump during paid time. It's nice to know it's not.

 

[fieryphoenix]

I pump during my regular scheduled breaks, there's no way they would give me extra paid time to pump.

 

[Itsychik]

I live in the Netherlands and employers are required by law to allow you to allocate 25% of your work day to pumping for up to a year after birth. This is paid and does not need to be made up at another time. They're also required to provide you with a non-bathroom, private room for pumping in.