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Work Life FAQ

Question

Are there Federal privacy requirements for employees who are expressing breast milk?

Answer

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) signed into law on March 23, 2010, amended section 7(r) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This amendment requires employers to provide a private space, other than a bathroom, for an employee to express breast milk for up to 1 year after the birth of an employee’s child that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public. Federal agencies are required to provide employees a private space, permanent or temporary, consistent with these requirements.

To learn more about the programs and policies at your agency, contact your agency’s work-life or worksite lactation coordinator. You can find your agency's coordinators by searching OPM's Work-Life Contact Database.

For additional information on the Federal privacy requirements under the ACA, please consult the following websites.

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