Employee wellness program implementation: How does lactation support compare?

Background. Workplace lactation support is key to breastfeeding mothers’ ability to provide human milk to their infants. Despite the business case for breastfeeding, state (and recently federal) regulations defining these workplace supports, employer compliance is far from universal. In a state with workplace regulations since 2007, through a Community Transformation grant, an employer survey was conducted about their health/wellness programs as part of an area wide initiative by a local business alliance to improve adult health. This analysis compares the extent of lactation support practices to other employee health initiatives.

Methods. During 2013, an online voluntary survey was made available to area employers through a local business alliance. Items, adapted from existing surveys, ranged from policies about healthy food choices to insurance coverage and health promotion. Items were vetted through a Worksite Action Team that will follow-up with employers to improve adoption of wellness practices. The 80+ question survey was available for a 7 month period and while all area employers were invited to participate the goal was to reach 60.

Results. 62 employers ranging from small to large companies completed the survey. Among respondents, 50.0% have a written lactation policy, 75.8% provide paid breaks while 79.0% had space accomodations that met regulations. By comparison 75.5% had healthy vending machine options, 71.0% fund (full/partial) insurance coverage for smoking cessation 61.3% offered low/no cost pedometers and 46.7% offer fitness equipment/gym onsite.

Conclusions. Despite state regulations, adoption of lactation supportive practices varied and did not differ dramatically from non-required employee wellness practices.