COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR RESOLUTION NO. 220402
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Directing the City Manager to report in 120 days on a plan to evaluate the feasibility of providing suitable space for a Nursing Room in City public buildings for City employees and members of the public; and the City Manager shall report back to the City Council prior to beginning any Nursing Room project.
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WHEREAS, Federal Law requires employers to provide “a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk;” and
WHEREAS, Congress enacted the Fairness For Breastfeeding Mothers Act that set forth requirements for certain Federal Buildings to provide a lactation room for use by the public where feasible; and
WHEREAS, Fairness For Breastfeeding Mothers Act can serve as a model for the City’s policy; and
WHEREAS, without designated nursing space, City employees are challenged with identifying space that can appropriately be used as a lactation room; and
WHEREAS, providing employees access to a Nursing Room (“Mother’s Room”) helps employees balance family and work commitments, improves employee morale, retention and recruiting; , creates a positive breastfeeding-friendly worksite and shows that the City values the contributions of working women in our departments; and
WHEREAS, providing a Mother’s Room can positively impact retention rates, resulting in potential cost savings to the City; and
WHEREAS, as part of this plan to provide Mother’s rooms in city buildings, the city shall evaluate 120 city owned facilities including community centers to determine the need for a Mother’s room at such facility; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:
Section 1. That the City Manager is directed to report in 120 days on a plan, with input from each city bargaining unit, to evaluate the feasibility of providing a Nursing Room in City public buildings, and to establish priority standards that will guide recommendations in alignment with Federal Guidelines on building amenity needs to accommodate a Nursing room; and provide a cost feasibility analysis of the plan.
Section 2. That the City Manager is directed to report back to the City Council prior to beginning any Nursing Room project other than the 8th Floor Nursing Room.
Section 3. That the City Manager shall continue to evaluate the city facilities to determine the use and effectiveness of the Mother’s room in city owned facilities.
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