Amenities and guidelines
Table of Contents
Last updated: March 20, 2024
When returning to work or school, leaving your baby may be difficult, but finding a private space for lactation shouldn’t be. The UW is committed to supporting nursing employees by maintaining lactation spaces at its campus locations and medical centers and by providing reasonable accommodations for pregnancy and related conditions.
Lactation space definition
Lactation spaces are clean, shielded from view, free from intrusion from others, and functional for expressing milk. To ensure privacy and to be free from intrusion, lactation spaces should have either a locking door or signage indicating when the space is in use, and privacy screens when warranted. Lactation spaces may not be located in restrooms.
Lactation spaces also include the following amenities:
- comfortable seating
- appropriate cleaning/sanitation supplies
- garbage receptacle
- electrical outlets, and
- a flat surface, other than a floor, on which to place the pump.
The UW maintains dedicated spaces for employees to express milk and may also choose to create temporary lactation spaces, when needed, so long as the space meets the above criteria. If the space is not a dedicated for lactation, it must be made available when the employee needs to use the space for the purpose of lactation.
Additional amenities
In addition to the required amenities above, some lactation spaces include the following:
- Breast pump (kits are not included) *
- Refrigerator
- Changing table or countertop
- Sink
- Telephone
- Lockers or other storage
*Kits are sold in pharmacies and online. Your personal pump kit may be stored within the lactation space if secure lockers are also provided.
Access to cold storage and sanitation
Employees should have reasonable access to refrigeration for temporary storage of breast milk as well as reasonable access to facilities and supplies necessary for cleaning pump equipment. If reasonable access to cold storage or cleaning facilities is not available at your worksite or nearest lactation space, please consult with your manager or contact your Human Resources Consultant to explore options.
Locating a lactation space
Employees are encouraged to explore the available lactation stations and work with their manager to develop a plan at least two weeks prior to returning to work or school. Lactation spaces are located throughout UW campuses, medical centers, and other buildings. Click on the most applicable location to view the interactive map and lactation station details. You may also contact the lactation space coordinator for additional information.
- Harborview Medical Center
- South Lake Union
- UW Bothell lactation spaces
- UW Medical Center – Montlake/Health Sciences Center
- UW Medical Center – Northwest lactation spaces
- UW Medicine East Side lactation spaces
- UW Seattle lactation spaces
- UW Tacoma lactation spaces
Creating a temporary lactation space
If you are unable to find a lactation space within a reasonable distance of your work location, contact your manager to explore the option of creating a temporary lactation space that will meet your needs. Temporary lactation spaces must meet the same criteria as permanent lactation spaces.
Manager guidelines
Managers are expected to support their employees’ use of lactation spaces and to allow for reasonable break time for the purpose of lactation.
Break time to express milk
Overtime eligible employees can use established meal and rest period time to express milk. While units are not required to pay employees for additional time outside the meal and rest periods, units are required to provide a flexible schedule to accommodate the employee’s medical needs.
If you have questions about lactation breaks or creating a temporary lactation space for your employees, please contact WorkLife at worklife@uw.edu.
Creating and maintaining lactation spaces
If your unit is interested in creating a designated lactation space, WorkLife is eager to support your efforts. Please contact worklife@uw.edu with any questions about lactation space requirements or to request a consultation.
When your space is ready for visitors, we’ll help you promote the space by adding amenities and reservation details to our webpage and interactive map.
To update a current lactation space listing, please reach out to worklife@uw.edu with revisions.