First published: August 2nd, 2023
Last updated: August 2nd, 2023

August 1st – August 7th is World Breastfeeding Week 2023.  The theme of the week in 2023 is making a difference to working parents.

Why workplace breastfeeding matters

Ireland’s Health Service Executive has examined research that has found that the longer a new mother breastfeeds, the greater the benefits for the mother, the baby, their employer and wider society.

So in the spirit of making a difference to working parents, let’s take a look at how Irish employers can help new mothers continue breastfeeding.

What are your legal obligations?

In Ireland, the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004 sets out the legal entitlements of women in employment who are breast feeding.

The period during which employers must provide new mothers with breastfeeding breaks was recently extended from six months to two years from the date of the child’s birth under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023.

Employees can take up to 1 hour of paid time for an 8 hour working day. Ensure you don’t make any deductions from pay for time allocated for a breastfeeding break.

Talk to employees to agree a schedule

You should speak with employees that want to exercise this right and see what arrangements suit them best. Where it’s possible to breastfeed in the workplace or express breast milk on your premises, the law provides for:

• one 60 minute break
• two 30 minute breaks, or
• three 20 minute breaks

The normal working time rules around rest breaks also continue to apply. 

What if no facilities are appropriate?

The area where breastfeeding takes place at work must be hygienic and private. You should also consider a place for mothers to store their milk, like a fridge.

If the workplace has no suitable facilities where staff can either breastfeed or express milk, you can reduce the employee’s working hours by one hour (remember not to deduct any pay) to facilitate breastfeeding.

Ask Brainbox for instant accurate advice on questions like:

• Do I have to give employees a private space to express?
• Can I make an employee use the toilets to breastfeed?

Failing to manage employee requests to breastfeed at work could lead to employee unrest and even costly discrimination claims on the grounds of sex or family status.

It’s best to have a specific policy in place. It should outline all the provisions and support available for employees who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

The policy should include information on:

• how much notice you need to make arrangements for new mothers who want to continue breastfeeding
• what facilities will be available in the workplace
• storage options for expressed milk, and
• any flexible or remote work options that could support new mothers.

It’s worth noting too that, by law, it’s necessary to carry out a risk assessment to protect pregnant workers and new mothers.

Protect your staff and your business this World Breastfeeding Week

There are real business benefits to be gained from helping employees who want to breastfeed. Employers who facilitate staff with breastfeeding requirements enjoy:

• reduced absenteeism
• increased productivity
• better employee relations
• lower staff turnover, and
• positive reputational benefits.

Employers who help staff continue breastfeeding tend to find that the savings in reduced absenteeism and lower turnover far outweigh the cost of providing breaks and facilities for breastfeeding.

Expert HR assistance on updating your breastfeeding policy

Running a business doesn’t leave a lot of time to develop workplace policies and risk assessments.

Let Peninsula’s HR and health & safety experts develop handbooks, polices and risk assessment documentation that are tailored to your business.

Speak to one of our HR experts today on 1800 719 216