Read Town's Infant at Work Policy, Submit Feedback Now

The Town of Whitehall’s proposed Infants at Work Policy is making waves on social media after the Town requested public comment via an online survey. Below is the policy in its entirety. If you want a digital copy, don’t hesitate to contact the Town of Whitehall at 406-287-3972. You may submit your opinion of the policy at https://bit.ly/4a3gbo2.

PROPOSED POLICY: It is the policy of the Town of Whitehall to provide a positive work environment that recognizes parents’ responsibilities to their jobs and to their infants by acknowledging that, when an infant is able to stay with a parent, this benefits the family, the employer, and society. The Town of Whitehall Infant-at-Work Program encourages new mothers or fathers to return to work sooner by allowing the new parents to bring their infant to work with them from the ages of 6 weeks to 6 months or until the baby is mobile (crawling, climbing, etc).

Eligibility: Parents – Full-time Town of Whitehall employees in good standing with the Town of Whitehall are eligible to participate in the program, subject to the specific job responsibilities of the parent and subject to ensuring the physical safety of the infant. Employees currently involved in disciplinary action are not eligible to participate. Employees may request a temporary, alternative work assignment if their current assignment is not suitable for participation in the program. The Town of Whitehall will attempt to accommodate such requests based on business and staffing situations at the time of the request but is not required to meet said requests.

Infants – Infants of full-time employees are eligible for the program, subject to the provisions of these guidelines.

Forms to Complete: The following forms are required for participation in the program:

• Individual Plan, which outlines the specifics of the infant’s care plan (Attachment 1)

• Parent Agreement, Consent & Waiver forms (Attachment 2)

The parent will submit all completed and signed forms to the Mayor, who will then schedule the Pre-Program Meeting.

Pre-Program Meeting: Before any infant is brought into the workplace, a meeting must take place between the parent and the Mayor. Both parties must review, discuss, and approve the proposed Individual Profile.

Requirements for Care Providers: A parent participating in this program may not leave the building (not even for a short time) without taking the infant with them.

The parent will accept complete responsibility for the safety of the infant. If the parent’s duties require that they leave their primary work site, the parent will take the infant with them. An employee may not take the infant anywhere in a Town of Whitehall vehicle.

The parent must provide all supplies and equipment needed to care for the infant at the work site and ensure that the area is kept in a clean and sanitary condition. Diapers must be changed only in a designated restroom or in quiet room locations and not in work areas. When an infant accompanies a parent to work, used cloth diapers must be stored in a closed container and taken home daily. Used disposable diapers must be wrapped appropriately and discarded in an appropriate container provided by the parent and placed in an area not used by staff for office or meeting space. All supplies utilized by the parent must be maintained in a manner that is not disruptive to the work of other employees.

There may be work circumstances that require a parent’s full attention such that it may be necessary for parents to make other arrangements for childcare during the utilization of this policy. Parents are expected to work closely with their supervisor and coworkers to ensure that all parties involved are aware of what duties can and cannot be reassigned and parents are expected to make alternate childcare arrangements when required to do so.

In order for an infant-at-work program to be effective, all parties need to be sensitive to the needs of others. The employee must maintain acceptable work performance and ensure that the presence of the infant does not create any office disturbances. If problems arise that cannot be resolved, the employee understands that the program may be terminated for that employee. The termination will be based on job description and job performance in that position.

If a baby is fussy for a prolonged period of time, causing a distraction in the workplace or to the public or preventing the parent from accomplishing required work, the parent shall remove the infant from the workplace. The parent will be charged for time away from work according to leave time provisions of the Town of Whitehall or may elect to take unpaid leave.

The Town of Whitehall will identify one or more locations on the premises that employees may use, if they so choose, while breastfeeding or otherwise feeding their infants, as well as a location or locations for changing and disposing of diapers. The location designated for breastfeeding or expressing of milk will be “a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public,” in compliance with Sec. 4207 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Infant’s Location During the Program: Work Station – Each parent shall make her/his workstation suitable and safe for the baby and the baby shall be located primarily at that workstation during the work day. The Town of Whitehall will make every effort to offer a privacy office, if needed, but can not guarantee this if space constraints make it infeasible.

Quiet Room – In the event that an infant becomes noticeably fussy or otherwise causes a distraction in the workplace or prevents the parent from accomplishing work, the parent must immediately take the infant to a sitting room until the infant calms down and is quieter. If the infant does not calm down within 30 minutes while in the sitting room, the parent must remove the infant from the Town of Whitehall premises for the remainder of that day.

Other Employees (Non-Alternate Care Providers) – The infant may be in another employee’s workspace for brief intervals if requested by the other employee and approved by the parent. Consideration must be taken to ensure that the environment is safe for the infant at all times and that other employees are not disturbed. Parents may not ask employees who are not Alternate Care Providers to care for their infant at any time.

Illness: A sick infant should not be brought to work. If the infant becomes sick during the day, the infant must be taken home by the parent. The guidelines set forth in Attachment 3 of this policy are hereby adopted by the Town of Whitehall as a means for determining whether a baby is sick.

Other Personnel Caring for Infant: The Town of Whitehall understands that other personnel may ask the parent for permission to care for the infant for brief periods of time. This is acceptable at the discretion of the parent as long as the productivity of other personnel is not substantially reduced.

Complaints: All complaints related to this policy must be made directly to the Mayor, by documentation provided.Documentation will be filed in employee’s file.All complaints will be kept anonymous to the extent that is possible. The employee and the Mayor shall have final discretion to decide what should be done to resolve the complaint. (See Termination of Eligibility below.)

Termination of Eligibility: Participating parents have the right to terminate their individual agreement at any time. The Town of Whitehall has the right to terminate an individual agreement at any time if a parent’s performance declines or if organizational needs are not being met (i.e., complaints and/or disruptions to coworkers cannot be resolved). The employee must maintain acceptable work performance according to employee’s job description and ensure that the presence of the infant does not create any office disturbances.

This agreement may also be terminated if the parent becomes involved in disciplinary action, if the parent does not comply with the terms and conditions of their Individual Plan, or when complaints have been made that cannot be resolved. Eligibility may also be terminated at the sole discretion of the Town of Whitehall with written notice to the employee. When eligibility is terminated, the infant must be removed from the workplace. The Town of Whitehall will accommodate the parent two weeks to take the baby to an external care arrangement, extensions may be granted on a case-by-case basis.

Other: The Town of Whitehall Infant-at-Work Program is a voluntary option for employees, subject to approval as outlined in these Guidelines, where it is compatible with job requirements.

Other affected employees may request a “baby-free” work environment. Such requests should be made through the Mayor. The Town of Whitehall will attempt to accommodate such requests based on business and staffing situations at the time of the request, by temporarily relocating the parent or the other employee after discussion with all parties to determine the most effective resolution.

Participation in the Town of Whitehall Infant-at-Work Program is a privilege and not a right.

The Town of Whitehall expressly reserves the right to refuse participation in the Program if the requesting parent’s position is deemed unsafe or unsuitable for the presence of a baby due to business reasons. The Town of Whitehall reserves the right to terminate participation in the program due to business conditions.

The Town of Whitehall expressly reserves the right to change or revise this policy. Any changes will be conveyed to affected employees as soon as possible after any change or revision.

Guidelines for Exclusion of Sick Children (Attachment 3): If the child has any of the following conditions and thus poses a risk of spread of harmful diseases to others, they shall not be brought to work. If they develop these conditions during the work day, the parent shall remove the child from the premises immediately:

1. An acute change in behavior including lethargy/lack of responsiveness, irritability, persistent crying, difficulty breathing, uncontrolled coughing, noticeable (spreading) rash, or other signs or symptoms of illness until medical evaluation indicates inclusion in the facility.

2. Fever (temperature above 101 degrees Fahrenheit orally, above 102 degrees Fahrenheit rectally, or 100 degrees or higher taken auxiliary (armpit)) and behavior change or other signs and symptoms (e.g., sore throat, rash, vomiting, diarrhea).

3. Uncontrolled diarrhea, that is, increased number of stools, increased stool water, and/or decreased form that is not contained by the diaper until diarrhea stops; blood or mucus in the stools not explained by dietary change, medication, or hard stools.

3. Vomiting illness (two or more episodes of vomiting in the previous 24 hours) until vomiting resolves or until a health care provider determines the illness to be non-communicable, and the child is not in danger of dehydration.

4. Abdominal pain that continues for more than two hours or intermittent pain associated with fever or other signs or symptoms of illness.

5. Mouth sores with drooling, unless a health care provider or health official determines the condition is noninfectious.

6. Rash with fever or behavior change, until a health care provider determines that these symptoms do not indicate a communicable disease.

7. Purulent conjunctivitis (defined as pink or red conjunctiva with white or yellow eye discharge), until 24 hours after treatment has been initiated.

8. Untreated scabies, head lice, or other infestation.

9. Untreated tuberculosis, until a health care provider or health official states that the child can attend child care.

10. Known contagious diseases while still in the communicable stage (chicken pox, streptococcal pharyngitis, rubella, pertussis, mumps, measles, hepatitis A).