Nursing Mothers and Privacy Room Policy

RISD is committed to providing employees and their supervisors with the tools that they need to support breastfeeding parents while at work. The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines in compliance with state law.

This policy applies to all RISD employees and prospective employees who seek reasonable accommodations related to the need in the workplace to express breast milk for a nursing child.

RISD supports the practice of breastfeeding and the expression of breast milk by employees who are breastfeeding when they return to work. RISD prohibits discrimination and retaliation against those who exercise their rights under this policy.

Nursing mothers shall be allowed time to express milk during work hours as reasonably needed. The break time must, if possible, run concurrently with any break time already provided to the employee. Managers are encouraged to work with nursing mothers to establish break times that are mutually convenient and support both the mother and department operations.

Lactation breaks are expected to be reasonable in frequency and in length. While individual experience can vary, these general guidelines are offered:

• Break length – Depending on the amount of travel time to/from the room to be used, 20-30 minutes per break
• Number of breaks per day – one to three per day

Working with their supervisor, whenever possible, a nursing mother should coordinate paid breaks and/or unpaid lunch breaks for lactation purposes. In addition, nursing mothers may use paid vacation or personal time for lactation breaks.

Privacy Room Locations

Privacy (Mother’s) rooms are private spaces for nursing mothers.

The following location(s) are currently available by reservation for employees. The employee must provide their own pump, adapter, accessories, and cooler or insulated bag.

Prov/Wash Building | 3rd Floor | Room 328

Room Details: The space contains a chair and table and has a lockable door, and a sink is available nearby.

BEB Building | Room 022

Room Details: The space contains a chair, counter, sink, and has a lockable door.

These rooms may be reserved directly using http://schedule.risd.edu/ or by contacting Human Resources’ Benefits Partner via e-mail at humres@risd.edu or via phone at 401 454-6428.

Alternative spaces for nursing mothers to express milk may be any private space shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public with a lock on the door. A bathroom shall not serve as a lactation space. An employee may also express milk in their own private office.

Additional locations for privacy rooms are being identified throughout campus. If the space and alternative space options listed above are not feasible for the nursing mother’s use, please contact HR (401 454-6606) or humres@risd.edu which will work with the nursing mother to identify additional options.

This policy was created on: 12/5/2016

This policy was last reviewed/modified on: 12/2/2020

Next scheduled review: 12/5/2021

Issuing Office

Human Resources

Responsible Officer

Vice President for Human Resources

Individuals/offices required for review and changes

Director of Employment

Director of Planning, Design and Construction/Facilities