This policy document is currently under review to reflect The Australian National University Enterprise Agreement 2023-2026, which came into effect on 5 December 2023. Until this has been reviewed, the new Enterprise Agreement will take precedence over the provisions outlined in this document.

Policy: Breastfeeding

Purpose

To promote a safe and inclusive environment for breastfeeding and expressing on the University campus and to set out rights and responsibilities relating to breastfeeding and expressing.

Overview

The University has an obligation under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) and the Discrimination Act 1991 (ACT) not to discriminate in education and employment, directly or indirectly, against a person on the grounds of breastfeeding.

ANU is committed to providing a family-friendly work and study environment that enables staff and students to balance breastfeeding and other caring responsibilities with their work and study responsibilities.

The Breastfeeding policy defines the principles for this commitment and the University’s approach to providing a safe and inclusive environment for breastfeeding and expressing at ANU.

Scope

This policy is applicable to all staff and students across the University.

Definitions

Breastfeeding refers to breastfeeding or chestfeeding an infant/child, and is inclusive of binary, non-binary and transmasculine people.

Expressing means expressing breastmilk.

Lactation Break means a break during normal working hours or scheduled study commitments, as agreed between the staff member or student and the relevant authority, for the purpose of breastfeeding an infant or expressing milk.

Policy statement

As individual needs of each family vary, the University enables staff and students to negotiate flexible work and study arrangements that meet the needs of the staff member or student as well as operational requirements.

Lactation Breaks

Staff and students negotiate with their supervisors/course conveners on flexible arrangements to take lactation breaks during the day.
Lactation breaks are accommodated within flexible working arrangements.

Facilities

ANU provides dedicated parenting facilities throughout the Acton campus and at the Mount Stromlo facility in which staff and students can express breastmilk, breastfeed or store milk. The University reviews facilities as the need arises.
Guidelines for establishing parenting facilities at campus locations outside Canberra are contained in the Breastfeeding procedure.
Staff and students can breastfeed anywhere on the University campuses, with the exclusion of the locations noted in Appendix A of the Children on Campus policy, which are deemed inherently dangerous and/or hazardous to children.
Staff and students bringing a child on campus for the purpose of breastfeeding should be aware of the impact this may have on the work or study environment of other staff and students. Staff and students must comply with the University’s Work Health and Safety policy and the University's Children on Campus policy. All children are excluded from Hazardous and Restricted Locations defined in Appendix A of the Children on Campus Policy.

Responsibilities

Responsibility and authority under this policy operates across the following levels.

The University

The University is responsible for ensuring appropriate policies and facilities are in place for all staff and students to enable safe and inclusive environment for breastfeeding.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Portfolio

The portfolio is responsible for:

promoting policy and procedures through Student Advisors and through other relevant Student Experience activities as appropriate and;
providing information regarding the ANU Breastfeeding policy and procedures and other relevant procedures to students when requested.

Managers/Supervisors and Course Conveners

Managers/Supervisors and Course Conveners are responsible for negotiating with staff and students on flexible arrangements for lactation breaks in line with operational and study requirements and the provisions of this policy and the Breastfeeding procedure.

Staff and Students

Staff and Students are responsible for:

negotiating flexible arrangements for lactation breaks with their Manager or Supervisor/Course Convener in line with operational and study requirements and the provisions of this policy and the Breastfeeding procedure and;
when bringing a child or children on campus, complying with University policy documents including Children on Campus.

Grievances

The University will ensure that staff and students do not engage in behaviour that discriminates against other persons, either directly or indirectly, on the basis of breastfeeding. The University has established procedures for dealing with complaints, including the Student complaint resolution policy and procedure; Staff grievance resolution policy and procedure; the ANU Code of Conduct and the procedure for Prevention of discrimination, harassment and bullying.

Information	Printable version (PDF)
Title	Breastfeeding
Document Type	Policy
Document Number	ANUP_6111333
Version
Purpose	To promote a safe and inclusive environment for breastfeeding and expressing on the University campus and to set out rights and responsibilities relating to breastfeeding and expressing.
Audience	Staff, Students
Category	Administrative
Topic/ SubTopic	Equity & Diversity - Work & Life Balance

Effective Date	4 Jun 2020
Next Review Date	30 Jun 2024

Responsible Officer:	Chief People Officer
Approved By:	Vice-Chancellor
Contact Area	People and Culture Division
Authority:	Sex Discrimination Act 1984 Discrimination Act 1991
Delegations	0
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