The State of Illinois Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act (820 ILCS 260/1), as amended by Public Act 100-1003, and the Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA), provide working mothers with reasonable break time during normal business hours to express breast milk for one year after the child’s birth. Break time provided for the expression of milk may not reduce an employee’s compensation regardless of the length of the break being taken.

These rest periods must be provided in a suitable, private location, other than a bathroom, which is located in close proximity to the employee's work area. The breaks may run concurrently with regularly scheduled break times.

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Compensation

Nursing mothers shall be paid for break time needed for nursing or expressing milk. The break time may run concurrently with any break time already established. Nursing mothers are also entitled to a reasonable number of additional paid breaks to allow to them to nurse or express milk. Departments shall provide reasonable break time as needed by the employee unless doing so would create an undue hardship as defined by the Illinois Human Rights Act. Supervisors are asked to contact their university or system human resources office before denying an employee a paid break for expressing milk based on the undue hardship exclusion.

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Policies

Policy and Rules for Civil Service Staff

Rule 4.04 - Work Shifts and Hours - updates in progress.
Policy 7 - Vacation and Personal Leave
Rule 7.08 - Make-up time and Compensatory Time Off