5.37 Nursing Parent Accommodations


(Adopted 4-15-2014; Revised 11-7-2022)

East Central College will comply with the requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), which amended Section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to provide a reasonable amount of break time to express milk as frequently as needed by the nursing parent. 

Procedures (Revised 2-14-2019; 10-6-2022)

 5.37.1  Time for Lactation Accommodation

The College will provide additional break time to employees who are nursing parents and who need to express milk during the workday for up to two (2) years after the child’s birth.  Employees covered by this provision will work with their supervisor to determine how best to accommodate the needs of the parent while still meeting job expectations.

Supervisors will be required to provide a reasonable amount of break time to express milk as frequently as needed by nursing parents.  Nursing parents covered by Policy 5.30 will be allowed to extend the two (2) paid 15-minute breaks provided in that Policy by up to an additional 15 minutes of paid time to express milk if needed.   If a longer break time is necessary, the employee will be required to make up the missed time or use vacation/personal leave.  If an employee takes more than two (2) paid breaks and the unpaid 30-minute lunch break during the workday to express milk, the employee will need to make up the time missed or use vacation/personal leave. Non-exempt employees will be required to record break times on the timecard. Accrued sick leave cannot be used for milk express breaks as this does not qualify for sick leave.

5.37.2  Environment for Lactation Accommodation (Revised 6-13-2022)

The nursing parent may use their office, an office in the immediate work area, or one of the private locations designated by the College for expressing milk. The nursing parent may also express milk in any other suitable location on campus.  Milk may be stored in College refrigerators located in the break areas throughout the campus.

The College has designated the Board Room (BH238) as a private location on the Union campus for use by nursing parents.  Additional rooms may be available for use; a room list will be maintained by Human Resources.   Designated space is available upon request at both Rolla facilities and can be scheduled through the ECC Rolla Administrative Assistant.

5.37.3  Nothing in this policy shall be construed to prohibit an employee from breastfeeding or expressing breast milk in any other suitable location on campus.