Breastfeeding Moms Get 30 Minutes Paid Pump Time At Work: Hochul

A new law requiring employers to provide 30 minutes of paid break time for employees breastfeeding their infants to pump breast milk goes into effect on Wednesday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced.

Specifically, the mandate applies whenever employees have a reasonable need to express breast milk and extends up to three years following childbirth, the governor's office said in a press release.

Prior to the new legislation, employers were only legally obligated to provide reasonable unpaid break time for expressing breast milk.

“Providing paid break time for milk expression shows our support of working parents and family-friendly work environments. Breast/chest milk contains nutrients that help babies fight off viruses and bacteria, which is important in their early months and babies who breast/chest feed have fewer infections and illnesses, which can mean fewer missed days of work for parents," said State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald. "I thank Governor Hochul for implementing this legislation and providing New Yorkers with resources to help them balance their personal and professional lives.”

Under the new law, employees can also use their existing paid break time or mealtime for any time in excess of thirty minutes.

New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, “This legislation represents a major victory for working parents across New York State. By providing paid break time for breast milk expression, we are not only supporting parents and their babies but also reinforcing the importance of family-friendly workplace policies. The Department of Labor remains committed to ensuring that all employers comply with these new standards and that all employees are aware of their rights.”

The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) recommends breast milk as the first food for infants and because it supplies "all the necessary nutrients in the proper amounts." In addition, NYSDOH recommends that infants feed on breast milk exclusively for the first six months and that parents supplement a solid food diet with breast milk for "two years or longer, if mutually desired by mother and child."

According to the NYSDOH, "the advantages of human milk to infants cannot be matched by any other form of feeding" because it provides unique nutrients and antibodies that help protect babies from ear infections, lower respiratory infections, allergies and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Breastfed infants are are less likely to become overweight or develop diabetes throughout the lifetime, the Department of Health added.

“As New York’s first mom Governor, I am fighting every day to give working parents the protections they need to keep their families strong and healthy,” Hochul said. “From our nation-leading prenatal leave program to this legislation requiring employers to give breastfeeding mothers much-needed break time, our state is continuing to stand up for parents in the workplace and protect maternal and child health.”

Comprehensive information about employee rights and employer requirements regarding breast milk expression in the workplace is available on the New York State Department of Labor’s (NYSDOL) dedicated resource page.