Lactation Rooms

Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) is committed to developing strategies to be supportive of nursing individuals on campus and have therefore designated the Lactation Rooms described below for use by students, faculty and staff who are nursing.

Section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act, as amended by the Affordable Care Act, requires employers to provide nursing mothers with reasonable break time to express breast milk for one year after the child’s birth. Employers are also required to provide a place that is not a bathroom, which is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public in order for employees to express breast milk.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1971, 20 U.S.C §1681 ETA seq., is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discriminations on the basis of sex, including pregnant and parenting status, in educational programs or activities.

Nursing individuals should notify their instructor or supervisor of their need to utilize Lactation Rooms on campus during work or school hours.

For employees, lactation time beyond the regular break time is unpaid and will be negotiated between the Employee and the Immediate Supervisor, if necessary. No leave time should be charged for breastfeeding or pumping during lunch and regularly scheduled/approved breaks.

For students, lactation time that conflicts with academic activities, which includes both classroom labs/lectures or examinations, should contact the Title IX Coordinator for assistance. Students should not be penalized for absenting themselves from academic activities to utilize a Lactation Room.

Room Information

Locations of Lactation Rooms available at NEOMED can be found below. Each room has a table, seating, as well as electrical outlets.

Use of the Lactation Rooms is an option for nursing individuals; employees who wish to utilize their own office may do so as well. The use of the Lactation Rooms is on a first come, first served basis and students and employees should be respectful of the privacy of others while the room is in use. If scheduling is required to balance the needs of multiple nursing individuals, please contact the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at ext. 6736 for assistance.

Although use of the lactation rooms is directed to students and employees of NEOMED, visitors may also use the rooms according to availability based on their access to the areas in which the rooms are located. Alternatively, under Ohio Law, an individual may breastfeed their baby in any location of a place of public accommodation the individual is otherwise permitted, therefore all nursing persons are free to breastfeed their infants as needed on campus in areas available to the mother that are not based on her status as an employee or student of the University.