Embargoed for August 24,
2005
Programs Focused on
Supporting Employees with Families Honored
Family Health
Promotion Awards Given to twelve Los Angeles area employers
LOS ANGELES, August 24,
2005 --- With the support of the Los Angeles County Department of
Health Services and the California Breastfeeding Coalition; in
conjunction with Breastfeeding Awareness Month, the Breastfeeding
Task Force of Greater Los Angeles honors twelve Los Angeles Area
employers with the Family Health Promotion Award. The Breastfeeding
Task Force recognizes exemplary efforts of companies that understand
the need to provide an environment for its employees to achieve a
balanced work and family life.
Faced with the changing demographics of the workplace and increasing
demand for a balanced work and family life among employees,
companies offer family-oriented services that support lactating
mothers and their families through innovative programs that include
private rooms for expressing breast milk, parent resource library,
parenting workshops for expectant mothers and fathers, support
groups, breastfeeding equipment loan plans, and on-site childcare
facilities. With the passage of Assembly Bill 1025, the State of
California is one of the first states in the country to reduce a
major barrier to breastfeeding by enacting legislation requiring
employers to provide unpaid break time and a private space to
express breast milk during the workday. Findings from the Los
Angeles County Health Survey, 2002-03, revealed that 60% of mothers
stopped breastfeeding when they returned to work within six months
of giving birth. Breastfeeding friendly workplaces have been shown
to decrease employee absenteeism by up to 57% due to the health
benefits for both mother and baby, while increasing employee
retention and enhancing employee productivity, loyalty, and morale.
“Supporting breastfeeding employees is a win for everyone,” said Dr.
Audrey Naylor, chair of the United States Breastfeeding Committee.
“Employers can experience lower health claims, absenteeism rates,
and turnover rates, which can save a company thousands of dollars
each year. Breastfeeding mothers are more likely to be productive
and loyal to the company when they are provided onsite lactation
support. And, most importantly, babies who continue breastfeeding
after their moms return to work are healthier.”
“In recent years more companies have initiated corporate lactation
and family care programs in recognition of the fact that employees
have an increasing demand to balance their work and family lives. We
commend these employers for their leadership in supporting their
employees’ choice to continue to breastfeed when they return to
work,” said Karen Peters, executive director of the Breastfeeding
Task Force of Greater Los Angeles. “Programs such as those offered
by these companies provide health benefits to women and infants,
while providing employers’ real business benefits such as increased
employee retention and lower health costs.” Details of each of the
programs offered by this year’s award recipients are described at
www.breastfeedingworks.org.
More than 125 workplaces located in 34 counties in California will
be recognized by regional coalition members of the California
Breastfeeding Coalition. The businesses vary in size (from 3 to more
than 20,000 employees) and type (including retail and fast food
outlets, restaurants, professional firms, car dealerships,
hospitals, school districts, hotels, government agencies, media
stations, universities, and a casino).
Special statewide awards will be given by the California Youth and
Workplace Wellness Task Force to 3 organizations that provide
additional support for families. The Task Force
www.wellnesstaskforce.org,
chaired by Senator Tom Torlakson, will honor the University
California, Davis, Kirkland and Ellis (LLP) in Los Angeles, and JMH
Weiss, Inc in San Jose for their exemplary efforts to support
breastfeeding employees at their worksites.
About the Breastfeeding Task Force of Greater Los Angeles
The Breastfeeding
Task Force of Greater Los Angeles is a non-profit organization
dedicated to educating the public about breastfeeding support and
decreasing the societal barriers to breastfeeding. Many mothers fail
to breastfeed or prematurely wean because of a perceived or actual
lack of support from their employers. The Breastfeeding Works
project will decrease those barriers by helping employers to realize
the value of supporting breastfeeding working mothers. For more
information, please visit its website at
www.breastfeedla.org.
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