TAMIU Designated a 'Mother-Friendly Worksite' by Texas Department of State Health Services

Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) has joined a growing number of Texas employers designated as Texas Mother-Friendly Worksites.

Texas Mother-Friendly employers proactively support employees who choose to breastfeed their infants by providing time, space, and other support to maintain breastfeeding after returning to work. 

Lorissa Cortez, TAMIU director of Title IX and Civil Rights Compliance, said TAMIU's effort to seek the Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite designation was interrupted at the outset of the COVID-19 Pandemic but that the University is now proud to have received the recognition. 

"TAMIU wants all its employees, including faculty, administration  and staff, to know that we support their decision to continue breastfeeding," Cortez said, "We are extremely pleased to be designated as a Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite at last."

Cortez said that lactation rooms at TAMIU will be located in the Academic Innovation Center. 

Employers providing Texas Mother-Friendly policies report benefits including increased employee retention, lower absenteeism, higher morale, greater productivity, reduced health care costs, and improved short- and long-term health of the breastfeeding mother and her child.

Created by the Texas Legislature in 1995 and administered by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), the Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite Program recognizes employers with written policies reflecting their support for their breastfeeding employees. 

Policies that provide work schedule flexibility to allow milk expression breaks, offer a private space, other than a bathroom, where the employee can pump or breastfeed; and ensure easy access to a clean water sources and hygienic milk storage arrangements.

To be designated as a Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite, an employer must submit an application and a qualifying written employee breastfeeding support policy to DSHS. listing of Texas Mother-Friendly Worksites is available on the program’s website, https://dshs.texas.gov/TexasMotherFriendly.  

Texas Mother-Friendly Worksites represent a wide range of employment sectors, settings, and worksite sizes. A sampling of employers with the Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite designation includes the City of San Antonio, Whole Foods Market, Texas Mutual Insurance Company, Royse City ISD, Q2, Sysco Houston, BazaarVoice, Tesoro, The Children’s Courtyard, Freescale, Dyess Air Force Base 7th Operation Support Squadron, IBM Corp, and The University of Texas at San Antonio. Also designated are numerous hospitals, state agencies, and health and human services employers. 

For more on TAMIU’s designation, contact Cortez at lorissam.cortez@tamiu.edu or call 956.326.2857.  TAMIU’s Fall semester begins Monday, Aug. 28.

Learn more about the Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite Program at https://dshs.texas.gov/TexasMotherFriendly or email program staff at TexasMotherFriendlyWorksite@dshs.texas.gov.