Celebrating the 2nd Annual Workplace Lactation Week™: Policy to Practice - Making Lactation Support a Reality

Workplace Lactation Week™ returns Sept 1-7, promoting lactation support for all working parents. The annual observance emphasizes turning policy into practice.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, September 4, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Workplace Lactation Week™, an annual observance that coincides with National Breastfeeding Month, returns for its second year from September 1 to 7, 2024. Launched and managed by Healthy Horizons, this year’s theme, “Policy to Practice: Making Lactation Support a Reality,” underscores the vital importance of translating legal mandates into practical, inclusive support for all breastfeeding mothers and parents in the workplace.

Empowering Working Parents
Workplace Lactation Week™ is dedicated to equipping leaders, parents, and businesses with the tools and best practices necessary to create truly lactation-friendly work environments. Celebrating this week not only honors the contributions of working parents but also aligns with Labor Day, emphasizing their indispensable role in the workforce. This initiative is a call to action for organizations to foster environments where every parent feels valued, respected, and supported.

From Policy to Practice
With the enactment of the PUMP Act, Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), and updated Title IX Regulations, organizations now have a robust legal framework to guide them in supporting lactating employees. Workplace Lactation Week™ 2024 focuses on bridging the gap between these policies and their practical implementation, ensuring that every nursing mother and parent receives the support they need to thrive both at work and at home.

Why Workplace Lactation Support Matters
-Health and Well-being: Breastfeeding offers unparalleled health benefits for both babies and mothers, positively impacting their physical and emotional well-being.
-Promotes Diversity and Inclusion: Providing lactation support demonstrates a commitment to creating a workplace where employees of all backgrounds and identities feel valued, respected, and supported.
-Employee Retention and Satisfaction: Supporting lactating parents fosters a positive workplace culture, enhancing employee satisfaction and loyalty.
-Increased Productivity: Comfortable, designated lactation spaces empower nursing mothers to express milk efficiently, enabling them to return to work with greater focus and productivity.
-Legal Compliance: Adhering to lactation support laws not only ensures legal compliance but also reinforces a company's commitment to ethical practices, diversity, and inclusivity.

Join the Celebration!
Workplace Lactation Week™ 2024 invites individuals, organizations, and communities from all backgrounds to join in creating a nurturing and supportive environment for working parents, thereby fostering a truly inclusive workplace.
-Explore Resources: Access valuable information on legal compliance, designing lactation spaces, fostering a supportive culture, and implementing lactation-friendly policies at www.healthyhorizons.com/WLW¹.
-Engage with the Community: Connect with experts and participate in community events to share experiences and inspire change. Join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram @WorkplaceLactationWeek².
-Spread the Word: Use social media platforms and hashtags like #WLW, #WLW2024, #WorkplaceLactationWeek, and #PolicyToPractice to amplify the message and raise awareness.
-Improve Your Workplace: Help your organization win part of $20,000 in lactation room and breastfeeding prizes by nominating them by September 7, 2024. www.healthyhorizons.com/contest³

Together, let’s make lactation support a reality in every workplace!

About Workplace Lactation Week™
First celebrated in 2023, Workplace Lactation Week™ is an annual initiative dedicated to promoting lactation support in the workplace. By providing resources, education, and advocacy, it aims to empower working parents and create a more inclusive and supportive work environment.

About Healthy Horizons
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Healthy Horizons is a pioneering leader in supporting companies to develop new parent benefit programs and workplace lactation rooms. The company serves a diverse client base, including Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and organizations across the U.S. and Canada. With lactation rooms in more than 125 North American cities, Healthy Horizons has supported 2 million employees, women, and parents from all backgrounds, professions, and workplace situations over their 30 years in business.

A woman-owned, women-run business, Healthy Horizons represents diverse ethnicities, backgrounds, and experiences. It was founded by Sheila Dukas-Janakos, MPH, IBCLC, LE, RLC, recognized by the U.S. Congress for her significant impact on the health of infants, and her daughter, Cassi Janakos Chavez, MS, a mechanical and systems engineer who previously worked in the aerospace industry. Visit HealthyHorizons.com to learn more about Healthy Horizons’ commitment to innovation, education, and social good.

Cassi Janakos
Healthy Horizons Breastfeeding Centers
pr@hh-bc.com
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¹ https://www.healthyhorizons.com/WLW
² https://www.facebook.com/WorkplaceLactationWeek
³ https://www.healthyhorizons.com/contest