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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CALLING ON COOK COUNTY TO ASSESS ITS LACTATION ROOMS AND LACTATION ROOM POLICIES IN AN EFFORT TO BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF NURSING MOTHERS IN ITS FACILITIES
WHEREAS, breastfeeding offers proven health benefits for babies and mothers, but women often find it difficult to continue breastfeeding once they return to the workplace; and
WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), among employed women with children under age 3, approximately 70 percent work full time and one-third of mothers return to work within 3 months after giving birth, and two-thirds return within 6 months; and
WHEREAS, challenges to breastfeeding mothers include lack of break time and inadequate facilities for pumping and storing human milk; and
WHEREAS, providing accommodations for breastfeeding offers numerous rewards for the employer, in cost savings for health care, reduced absenteeism, employee morale, and employee retention; and
WHEREAS, Cook County and its facilities owned or rented are unique in that they must accommodate county employees, workers who are not employed by Cook County but who perform some of their job duties in county facilities, as well as members of the general public; and
WHEREAS, many of the challenges facing breastfeeding mothers can be reduced with a small investment of time, money, and flexibility; and
WHEREAS, some Cook County buildings and courthouses owned or rented currently have space reserved for breastfeeding mothers, but some challenges remain, and it is incumbent upon this body to evaluate existing resources and see where there is opportunity for improvement;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Cook County Board of Commissioners that the county shall undertake an evaluation of its current lactation rooms and policies for those rooms, with the goal of having all public buildings owned, and operated or rented by Cook County with a designated private room, other than a restroom, for persons seeking privacy to nurse or express milk, including members of the public where appropriate; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the private room shall at a minimum include an electrical outlet, a chair, and a lockable door. Windows, if any, in the private room must have a window treatment appropriate to ensure privacy; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the management of each building shall make all building staff aware of the room(s) that have been designated for the use of nursing mothers and what the procedure is should a member of the public request use of the room(s); and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that all public buildings owned, and operated or rented by Cook County post a sign at the building entrance and outside the public restrooms indicating the availability of the designated room and the procedure for accessing it; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that where a private room cannot be designated without displacing staff or having to construct a new room within the facility, and where another option that would reasonably meet the intent of this resolution cannot be identified, an exception to the requirements of this resolution will be made.
Effective Date. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption.
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