<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<baltimore-city-law heading="Part 3 – Employer Policy and Process; Records">
  <section prefix="§" num="16-20" heading="Employer policy and process.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="In general.">Each employer subject to this subtitle must develop and implement a written lactation accommodation policy.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Minimum contents.">The written policy must:<para num="(1)">contain a statement that employees have a legal right to request a lactation accommodation;</para>
      <para num="(2)">include the employer’s process for requesting a lactation accommodation, which process must, at a minimum:<para num="(i)">specify the means by which an employee must submit the request to the employer;</para>
        <para num="(ii)">require the employer to respond to the request within 5 business days; and</para>
        <para num="(iii)">require the employer and employee to engage in an interactive process to determine lactation break periods and a lactation location appropriate for the employee;</para>
      </para>
      <para num="(3)">state that, whenever the employer does not provide lactation breaks or a lactation location, or provides a lactation location that does not fully comply with Part 2 of this subtitle, or asserts any waiver or variance granted under &lt;cite data-path="|11|§16-14"&gt;§ 16-14 {“Waiver or variance for undue hardship”} of this subtitle&lt;/cite&gt;, the employer will be required to describe, in a written response to the request, the specific bases on which the employer has done so;</para>
      <para num="(4)">state that any employee aggrieved by an alleged violation of this subtitle may file a complaint with the Baltimore Community Relations Commission; and</para>
      <para num="(5)">state that retaliation against an employee for exercising the rights conferred by this subtitle is prohibited.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Employer to keep copies of all responses.">The employer must retain, in accordance with &lt;cite data-path="|11|§16-21"&gt;§ 16-21 {“Employer records”} of this subtitle&lt;/cite&gt;, a copy of all written responses made under the policy required by subsection (b)(3) of this section.</para>
    <para num="(d)" heading="Distribution of policy.">
      <para num="(1)">The employer must distribute a copy of the employer’s lactation accommodation policy to all employees:<para num="(i)">upon their hiring; and</para>
        <para num="(ii)">again, within 10 calendar days of any modification to the policy.</para>
      </para>
      <para num="(2)">The employer must also offer a copy of the lactation accommodation policy to any employee who requests or inquires about pregnancy or parental leave.</para>
      <para num="(3)">If the employer has an employee handbook or set of policies that is available to employees, the lactation accommodation policy must be included in that handbook or set of policies.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 18-213</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="16-21" heading="Employer records.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="In general.">Each employer subject to this subtitle must maintain a record of all requests for a lactation accommodation received by the employer.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Required contents.">The record must include the following documentation:<para num="(1)">the name of the employee;</para>
      <para num="(2)">the date of the initial request and of any update to the initial request;</para>
      <para num="(3)">a copy of all written or digital correspondence by or on behalf of the employee and employer; and</para>
      <para num="(4)">a description of how the employer resolved the request.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Retention period; Inspection.">The employer must:<para num="(1)">retain the record and documentation required by this section for a period of 3 years from the date of the request for lactation accommodation; and</para>
      <para num="(2)">allow the Community Relations Commission access to that record, subject to reasonable notice, to monitor compliance with the requirements of this subtitle.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(d)" heading="Affect of failure to comply.">In any matter involving an alleged violation of this subtitle, if the employer has failed to maintain or retain the record and documentation required by this section, or does not allow the Commission reasonable access to them, it will be presumed that the employer has violated this subtitle, absent clear and convincing evidence otherwise.</para>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 18-213</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§§" num="16-22 to 16-24" reserved="true" />
</baltimore-city-law>
