breastfeeding - entitlement to time off from job?

Hi I'm up for interview for a position in the civil service and have a new born : ) Is there any regulations around being allowed time off to continue feeding?

BTW - don't want to get into a discussion about right time to stop feeding, age and so on but if anyone has information on a mother and child's rights on this I would be extremely grateful !!

from Oasis: for women whose health is a risk while she is pregant of breastfeeding. Note this provision applies to all employees not just those in the Civil or Public Service.

. A woman is granted Health and Safety Leave from employment in Ireland if her employer cannot remove a risk to her health while she is pregnant, or breastfeeding, or assign her alternative "risk-free" duties. To qualify for Health and Safety Benefit, you must fulfil certain criteria and social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. Your employer will pay the first 21 days of your Health and Safety leave, and the Department of Social and Family Affairs will pay the remainder. Your payment is made up of a personal rate and an allowance for a qualified adult/child dependant(s).
You will be paid directly into your bank account, or by weekly cheque.

Click to expand...

Hiya. A search on google has thrown up the Maternity Amendment act which mentions time off for breastfeeding but isn't very specific.
[broken link removed]


If you sign up to one of the parenting websites you might get some more informantion

www.magicmum.com
www.rollercoaster.ie
www.eumom.com

HTH

AFAIK, you do not get "time off" for it but the company must accomodate you which is to allow you a comfortable area for you to express and store or feed - if you can get the baby delivered on and off. probably an hour a day i would say.

great - thanks for the info. I have a much older child and since then a lot of the laws ( and more importantly attitudes) have changed. It seems that more employers are accommodating to this type of situation. Thanks for the links and info on this.

Here is the : ( taken from Oasis )

Breastfeeding and employment

Under Section 9 of the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004 certain women in employment who are breastfeeding are entitled to take time off work each day in order to breastfeed. The provision applies to all women in employment who have given birth within the previous 6 months. Employers are not obliged to provide facilities in the workplace to facilitate breastfeeding if the provision of such facilities would give rise to considerable costs. At the choice of her employer, the woman may therefore opt to:

• Breastfeed in the workplace or express breast milk, where facilities are provided in the workplace by the employer
• Have their working hours reduced (without loss of pay) to facilitate breastfeeding where facilities are not made available.

Women who are in employment and are breastfeeding are entitled to take 1 hour (with pay) off work each day as a breastfeeding break. This time may be taken as;

• One 60 minute break
• Two 30 minute breaks
• Three 20 minute breaks

You should note, that breaks may be longer and more frequent if agreed between the woman and her employer. Part-time workers are also entitled to breastfeeding breaks, calculated on a pro-rata basis.
The provision for women to breastfeed at work was brought into effect on the 18th October, 2004 through SI 654 of 2004 Maternity Protection (Protection of Mothers who are Breastfeeding) Regulations 2004 (pdf).

Great - thanks for this CMCR . That's good that it's up to six months and that there's a set amount of time and so on rather than leaving it too woolly .

I am a woman and am all for equality but to a point! Time off for breastfeeding????!!! Please! it's crap like this that keeps the glass ceiling fimly intact.
As an employer if you are interviewing a man and a woman of child-bearing age, you think both are equally capable who would you employ? Certainly the woman is at a disadvantage as she could be heading off for maternity leave several times, and 'time out for breastfeeding' is another black mark on her application!

Being a mother and having a career involves making sacrifices. the next thing we know women will want to set up nurseries beside their desks and have their kids in work with them all day!

The OP stated she wanted a factual response to her query and not a debate about the right or not to breastfeed in the workplace. She is entitled to take the time off and this is surely her business and not the business of other employees or how it may affect their promotion prospects!!! Stick to the facts!

Thanks CMCR for the comprehensive answer.

Since the question of the original poster has been answered I am now closing the thread.

Posters who whish to make general comments on the rights and wrongs of maternity leglislation can do so on LOS.

aj