California and federal laws require lactation accommodations for breastfeeding employees. The federal lactation accommodation law called the PUMP Act has many of the same requirements as the state law. However, there are some details of the state law that California employers should take note of.

California’s lactation accommodation laws are among the most comprehensive in the U.S. . Under California Labor Code Sections 1030-1034, employers are required to provide:

• Reasonable Break Time: Employers must provide reasonable break time for employees to express breast milk. This break time should ideally coincide with any existing break time provided to the employee. If it doesn’t, the break time for expressing milk does not need to be paid.
• Private Space: Employers must provide a room or other location, other than a bathroom, in close proximity to the employee’s work area, that is private and free from intrusion while the employee is expressing milk. The location must be safe, clean, and free of hazardous materials; it must also have the following:
  • A surface for a breast pump and personal items.
  • A place to sit.
  • Access to electricity or alternative devices like extension cords.
  • Access to a sink with running water.
    
  • Access to a refrigerator or other cooling device suitable for storing milk in close proximity to the employee’s workspace.

Employers in San Francisco should be aware that the city and county have a separate Lactation in the Workplace Ordinance, which includes...

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