(a) Definitions. In this Section, the following terms have the meanings indicated.
County building means a building, whether existing or newly constructed, that is owned or leased by the County where County employees work.
County employee has the meaning stated in Section 33-6.
Department means the Department of General Services.
Director means the Director of General Services or the Director’s designee.
Lactation room means a designated sanitary room, other than a bathroom, made available for expressing breast milk, that:
(1) is shielded from view;
(2) is free from public or coworker intrusion;
(3) displays appropriate signage that indicates “lactation room” or “nursing room;” and
(4) contains the following:
(A) a chair;
(B) a flat surface to place a breast pump;
(C) can be locked or secured from the inside;
(D) a small refrigerator;
(E) a microwave;
(F) at least one or more electrical outlets; and
(G) any other related supplies as provided in regulations.
(b) Lactation room – required.
(1) New Construction. The Department must provide at least one lactation room that includes a sink with running water in each newly constructed County building that is available for use by any County employee to express breast milk.
(2) Existing Buildings. Except as provided in subsection (c) or (d), the Department must provide at least one lactation room in an existing County building that includes a sink with running water and plumbing systems. If a sink with running water and plumbing systems cannot be provided, the lactation room must have nearby access to running water.
(c) Alternative Accommodation. If the Director determines that a County building does not have a room that could be repurposed as a lactation room, at a reasonable cost, the Department must consider alternative accommodations. Alternative accommodation includes installing or creating a space for a portable lactation room or station.
(1) The Executive may enter into a memorandum of understanding between the Department and an owner that offers, for sale or lease, a portable lactation room or station to meet the requirement for subsection (c).
(d) Exceptions. A County building may be excluded from the requirement under subsection (b), if the building:
(1) is solely a warehouse;
(2) is primarily used for archives; or
(3) would require new construction to create a lactation room and the cost of such construction is unfeasible.
(e) Regulations. The Director may promulgate Method (2) regulations to implement the requirements of this Section.
(f) Assessment. The Department must complete, or cause to be completed, an assessment and survey of all applicable County buildings for the inclusion of a lactation room.
(g) Reporting. The Department must report to the County Council any findings, outcomes, and progress of the assessment required under subsection (f). (2022 L.M.C., ch. 26, §1.)
Editor’s note—2022 L.M.C., ch. 26, §2, states: Sec. 2. Effective Date. The County Executive must issue any policy and regulations required under this Act within 6 months after the effective date of this Act. Subsection (f) of Section 8-14(C), added under Section 1 of this Act, an assessment must take effect 3 months after the Act becomes law. Subsection (b)(2) and (c) of Section 8-14(C), added under Section 1 of this Act, requires complete planning, design, construction, or installation of lactation rooms in the highest occupancy buildings, as identified in the assessment report, this must take effect 9 months after the Act becomes law [8/7/2023]. Subsection (b)(2) of Section 8-14(C), added under Section 1 of this Act, requires all remaining existing buildings to include a lactation room, this must take effect 21 months after the Act becomes law [8/7/2024]. Subsection (g) of Section 8-14(C), added under Section 1 of this Act, periodic reporting must occur at 3 months, 9 months, and 21 months after the Act becomes law.
Former Section 8-14C, Private buildings - incentives, derived from 2008 L.M.C., ch. 7, § 1, was repealed by 2014 L.M.C., ch. 15, § 1.