Expectant & Nursing Mothers

Berkeley Lab’s goal is to provide a supportive, family-friendly work environment. To accommodate nursing mothers, we have a Lactation Accommodation Program that provides the time and space for your needs.

Berkeley Lab respects and supports the needs of nursing mothers by allowing adequate time at an appropriate location for your needs.

You are permitted a reasonable amount of time to express breast milk during work hours. You may take a lactation break, concurrent with your scheduled rest periods, or unpaid time during other parts of the work day. Supervisors are encouraged to consider flexible scheduling to accommodate your lactation needs.

Pregnant Employee Parking Accommodation

Pregnant employees can receive temporary parking accommodations for personal use during pregnancy. Please complete the Pregnant Employee Parking Accommodation Form and submit it to the Integrated Disability & Absence Management (IDAM) team, idam@lbl.gov.

Parking at Berkeley Lab Policy 

Lactation Accommodation

Berkeley Lab is committed to promoting a family-friendly work environment by providing supportive programs and reasonable work-life balance resources to help employees successfully manage their work commitments. The Berkeley Lab Lactation Accommodation policy explains the rights and responsibilities related to lactation accommodation consistent with federal and state law. 

Please see the full policy and details in the Requirements & Policies Manual (RPM)

Questions? Contact the FAIR Office, fair@lbl.gov

Lactation Rooms - General Information

We understand your need for privacy, and we try to provide appropriate space near your work area. Berkeley Lab has designated lactation rooms for your convenience. If your work area is far from a designated lactation room, you may request alternative accommodation from your supervisor, such as an employee’s office or conference room with a locking door. To ensure privacy, you may post a sign on the door asking for uninterrupted time in the room.

**If you are a visitor to the Lab and need to use a lactation room during your visit, please work with your host to reserve a room for you.** 

Dedicated Rooms

Employees are reminded that dedicated Berkeley Lab lactation rooms on the hill and off site are solely for nursing mothers. Other uses (such as breaks or phone calls) are prohibited. 

Dedicated rooms can be reserved via Berkeley Lab’s Google Calendar. To reserve, click “Rooms” in the calendar event invitation, type in “lactation” in the search bar, and a list of lactation rooms will appear. 

Designated Rooms

If your building does not have a dedicated lactation room and/or a building with a dedicated room is too far from your workspace, please work with your supervisor and Space Planning (spaceplanning@lbl.gov) to locate a room that can be used for your needs. This could be a small conference room, office or multi-purpose room with a door that shuts and locks. 

If a lactation-designated conference room or multi-purpose room is needed for lactation accommodation purposes, the use for lactation will take precedence over other uses. 

Please use the signs below for the designated room that has been identified: 

Designated Room Signs 

Pumps

All onsite and offsite lactation rooms have a dedicated hospital-grade pump.  To view instructions on how to use the Ameda Elite Electric Breast Pump, model # 17608, please view this instructional video: http://www.ameda.com/healthcare-professionals/videos/elite-with-hygienikit.  A brief manual will also be placed in each room.

There will be no ‘check-out’ system, as the pumps will be available for use on a first-come, first-served basis.  To ensure that the pumps remain in good working condition, please handle with care and clean up after use.

Ameda personal kits (Ameda Dual HygieniKit Milk Collection System w/One Hand Breast Pump Adapter) can be purchased from Amazon.com, Target, or other stores. Please do not try to attach your personal kit from different models, since it will damage the pump, and there are no plans for replacement.

Questions about the lactation room in your building?

Please contact LBNL Space Planning: spaceplanning@lbl.gov

If you feel the room is being used inappropriately, please contact the FAIR Office with your concerns: fair@lbl.gov

Lactation Rooms -
Map & Location List

Berkeley Lab Lactation Rooms