Pumping at work - is the time paid?

[PinkPlantCase]

DS will be 6 months old when I return to work and so his main food source will still be breast milk.

I understand work need to provide a space for me to pump but will the time spent pumping be paid? Or should I accept a shorter lunch break to accommodate for it?

Eg. I will probably pump when I first arrive, before work, again at about 11, during my lunch break which is between 1-2 and then possibly once more in the afternoon as I’m unsure if I’ll be able to last until 5:30 and still keep my supply up.

During work time I’m be pumping for about 20 minutes all together.

What are your thoughts? I’m salaried not paid hourly if that makes a difference.

It will depend on your workplace policies. They may ask you to make the time up or they can be accommodating as long as your work doesn’t suffer

It’s not usually paid as you’re not in maternity leave any longer, so it should count as your regular work day. There’s probably some flexibility, if you start earlier and finish later. It’s similar to those who smoke, what does your company do regarding that? You’re looking at about an hour of pumping a day which is probably longer than most smokers take though! Maybe shorter lunch and come in earlier and finish a bit later?

Totally depends on the company. When I returned to work after mat leave I continued expressing for around 6 months, but managed to condense this into 2 sessions a day mid-morning and mid-afternoon. You’ll possibly find that your DC will “reverse cycle” and feed more through the night once you’re no longer there during the day, so your supply will adjust accordingly and you won’t need to express as often. My employer was always happy for me to take whatever time I needed, no requirement to make it up. You should definitely check what the policy at your work is before assuming anything though.

If there are smokers on the staff who bugger off to smoke a couple of times a day I don't see how you could be docked for time for expressing.

I bet your boss will be too embarrassed and just let you get on with it.

In my workplace technically it was not paid, but my manager simply looked the other way. I pumped midmorning, lunch and afternoon for 15mins each session. This included the time spent cleaning and sanitising the pump equipment (nipple covers, air tubes, etc) after pumping.

Thanks all, I’m starting a new job after maternity leave so haven’t seen their policys. That said it’s a small firm in a male dominated industry so I’d be surprised if they’ve got a policy for it.

It’s really useful to hear what other people have done.

I start in the new year and haven’t brought it up yet, the main thing i was unsure of is whether I offer to make up the time or wait to see if they ask me to!

I have a double pump and the actual pumping only takes about 5 minutes so each time would only take about 10 mins in total with some washing up and getting everything out.

If it was only going to take twenty mins I would take a shorter lunch/ do it during my lunch

Wouldn't even quibble for the sake of twenty mins to be honest

I was able to pump in a room with a computer, so just worked whilst pumping.

That said, neither of my children drank a drop of my milk whist at nursery. They just compressed all feeds to the evenings and overnight. 😆

I kept up pumping mostly because it was nice to have an excuse to work in peace and quiet for an hour or so 🙃

I started early to make up the time
My employers didn't really insist,but I was the first female at my level to come back off Mat leave and I felt I had to show no weakness

You don’t need to wash everything up each time! As long as your pump is a closed system (most are), just put the bottle and flange part all together in the fridge. You can also directly pump into a bag. Get a opaque bag or box to store in the fridge.

Can’t you just take a 40 min lunch?

This link suggests there’s no automatic right to a break although there is to a place to pump so presumably not paid!!

maternityaction.org.uk/advice/continuing-to-breastfeed-when-you-return-to-work/

Am I entitled to breastfeeding breaks?
No, the law does not currently allow a simple, straightforward right to breastfeeding breaks. However, it is good practice and your employer must consider any health and safety issues, as stated above.

I’ve been expressing at work for about 6 weeks, DS is 10 months.

If in the office, I take a shortened lunch break and express as part of it. It’s a very male dominated industry but they have gone out of their way to find an appropriate room, apparently I’m the first woman to have ever asked.

If wfh, I tend to work through lunch but take 3-4 shorter breaks throughout the day to express instead. I end up getting about the same amount regardless of which method.

Well they are sorting the room for you because they have to! It's in law that you need a private room and storage etc. I reckon the MPs that got the legislation through had to ditch the paid time aspect to keep conservatives ie employers happy.

We are bloody lucky we have those rules. It's sad that it has to be law because mean employers can't just make decent decisions themselves.

@GrrrlPwr I thought it was good H&S practice but not a legal requirement? Appreciate that it may have changed recently though and I’m just out of the loop!

Anyway, they have specifically gone out of their way to move rooms around so that there is one near to my workspace, with a comfortable chair & they offered to buy a mini fridge if I wanted to keep it in there rather than use the main one.

I’ve found it useful to buy a wine bottle cooler bag and to just slide the bottles into that inside the fridge.

We had a room for pumping so I just used to take my phone/laptop in and answer emails while hooked up to the pump .

Only works if you have an office job and wifi though...

If there is no policy, my starting point would be the smoking policy. Are employees allowed to go for a cigarette in working time if so you should be able to express.

Taking my laptop with me is a great idea! I’ll suggest that anyway and we’ll see what they say. I am wfh for part of the week so I was planning to carry on working then anyway

Sorry to derail but I have a question regarding this too.

When organising a place for you to pump - how does it work logistically, is it generally a room for your sole use to pump in or is it normal to just have a note or something on the door saying the room is engaged?

If you are in the UK, this is the law for businesses regarding breastfeeding. Break requests should be accommodated (it's all in this booklet).

www.acas.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-03/acas-guide-on-accommodating-breastfeeding-in-the-workplace.pdf

It’s normally a room you can book and lock so you have privacy. Outside the times you need it other employees can use it for other purposes.
www.acas.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-03/acas-guide-on-accommodating-breastfeeding-in-the-workplace.pdf

I'd ask what the smoking policy is and use that time.

Depends on your work and also if you can work whilst doing it. I used to take my laptop in to the room provided and pump as I worked. Sometimes I pumped at my desk when the meeting room was in use - I'd wear it under my clothes and a scarf over the top, my office was quite noisy and the pump quite though.