Lactation Support Guidelines

Lactation Support Guidelines

Employees

New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) recognizes the importance and benefits of breastfeeding for parents and their infants, and in promoting a family-friendly work and study environment. The university strives to create an environment, which is attuned to both professional and personal needs, such as the need of a parent who is lactating to feed and/or to express milk for their baby while at work. These guidelines were created to fully comply with the provisions of federal and state laws intended for breastfeeding individuals.

In accordance with federal law, NJIT recognizes the right of an individual to express milk in any public place on campus. Therefore, we are committed to providing a clean and private lactation room (that is not a restroom) to facilitate this process. It is the responsibility of all university supervisors to be aware of this policy and coordinate with their employees to establish mutually convenient lactation break times.

Location and Access
Specifically for lactation purposes, there are currently 3 dedicated spaces on campus available for faculty, staff, students and visitors:

  1. Fenster Hall, Room 427: To access this room, please contact Human Resources  at hr@njit.edu or (973) 596-3140.

  2. Mamava Pods:

    1. Campus Center, 2nd Floor: To gain entry to the pod, contact one of the following offices:

    2. Center for Peer Wellness and Coaching, located on the corner of Warren and Colden Street: To use the pod, please contact Deneen Scuderi at: deneen.b.scuderi@njit.edu. 

Lactation Breaks for Employees
Employers are mandated by law to provide reasonable accommodations for employees who wish to express milk. This includes providing a clean, private, and secure space that is not a bathroom where individuals can express milk. Employers also must provide reasonable breaks throughout the day for this purpose.

a)  Employees who wish to express milk shall be provided flexibility to request lactation breaks, provided that they give their department supervisor adequate advance notice.

b)  Employees are encouraged to use their allotted break time, when applicable. Supervisors shall work with their employees to establish mutually convenient times.

c)  Flexible scheduling may be used for accommodation purposes in accordance with respective collective bargaining agreements, where applicable.

d) It is assumed that no serious disruption of university operations will result from providing lactation time to nursing individuals.

e) Consistent with applicable laws supporting the needs of nursing individuals, supervisors will respond seriously, positively, and will ensure that there are no negative consequences to employees who wish to express milk when lactation break times are needed.

Lactation Breaks for Students
Under Title IX, students are protected against harassment and discrimination based on sex which includes nursing individuals.  Because lactation is a condition related to an individual’s sex and pregnancy/parental status, students have rights. If a student must miss a portion of class or lab time to nurse or express milk, they are encouraged to contact the Title IX Coordinator to discuss reasonable accommodation requests with instructors.

Privacy
Users accessing the room should slide the sign to “In Use” upon entering to alert other users that someone is using the room. Slide the sign back to “Vacant” when you leave the room unoccupied. Please respect the privacy of all lactation room users by knocking before accessing  the rooms. Do not prop open the door at any time.

If using the Mamava Lactation Pod, engage the deadbolt once inside the pod. This will turn the outside sign from “vacant” to “in use” and lock the door so that others will not be able to access it until the pod is vacated. Please ensure the door is completely closed upon exiting the pod. Only one user at a time will be permitted to use the Mamava Lactation Pod for the purposes of expressing milk or nursing.

Cleaning and Sanitation
All lactation room users are expected to clean up after each use of a room. This is not only out of respect for the next user, but to prevent contamination and illness transmission. Each user should allow enough time, within your visit, to clean the pump equipment of breast milk spills after each use and dispose of trash properly.