BILL REQ. #:  S-0958.1 

Read first time 01/31/2005.   Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Development.

     AN ACT Relating to encouraging employers to be infant-friendly; and amending RCW 43.70.640.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 43.70.640 and 2001 c 88 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) An employer, if requested by an employee, is encouraged to become infant-friendly.
     (2) An employer may use the designation "infant-friendly" on its promotional materials and otherwise, if the employer has an approved workplace breastfeeding policy addressing at least the following:
     (a) Flexible work scheduling, including scheduling breaks and permitting work patterns that provide time for expression of breast milk;
     (b) A convenient, sanitary, safe, and private location, other than a restroom, allowing privacy for breastfeeding or expressing breast milk;
     (c) A convenient clean and safe water source with facilities for washing hands and rinsing breast-pumping equipment located in the private location specified in (b) of this subsection; and
     (d) A convenient hygienic refrigerator in the workplace for the mother's breast milk.
     (2) Employers seeking approval of a workplace breastfeeding policy must submit the policy to the department of health. The department of health shall review and approve those policies that meet the requirements of this section. The department may directly develop and implement the criteria for "infant-friendly" employers, or contract with a vendor for this purpose.
     (3) For the purposes of this section, "employer" includes those employers defined in RCW 49.12.005 and also includes the state, state institutions, state agencies, political subdivisions of the state, and municipal corporations or quasi-municipal corporations.