UCLA GME Lactation Accommodation for Housestaff Policy

Lactation Accommodation for Housestaff Policy

Purpose

UCLA Health System is committed to promoting a family-friendly work environment by providing programs and services to help house staff achieve success at work and in their personal lives. To that effect, employees and management are encouraged to be accepting of nursing mothers, and departments will provide a location and time to accommodate their lactation needs pursuant to state laws.

The law requires the UCLA Health System to provide nursing mothers a reasonable amount of time to express breast milk for their infant children. The hospital is also required to make reasonable efforts to provide appropriate private space to express milk that is in proximity to the work area.

Personnel

This procedure covers all members of the UCLA house staff as it relates to accommodations for lactating mothers who have returned to the workforce.

Procedure

A house officer who has a need for lactation accommodation should inform her chief resident or program director and discuss any relevant workload or scheduling issues.
Chief residents or program directors who receive a lactation accommodation request are advised to direct nursing mothers to the House Staff On Call Quarters located on the B level, RRUCLA. Private rooms which lock from the inside are available. There is a refrigerator in the adjacent House Staff Lounge for storing milk that is appropriately labeled.
UCLA Health System may refuse to accommodate a nursing mother only if its operations would be "seriously disrupted" by providing lactation time in accordance with applicable laws. Any intent to refuse accommodation by a chief resident or program director must be made on a case-by-case basis and must include prior consultation with their departmental Human Resources office.
Nursing mothers who feel they have been denied appropriate accommodation are encouraged to contact their departmental Human Resources Office.

Approved by GMEC: 2/23/09