Around LADWP
Update to Lactation Accommodation
The Lactation Accommodation Program (LAP) is a cornerstone piece of LADWP’s Family Care Program, which is committed to promoting healthy babies and healthy families. It is important to promote a work environment that supports breastfeeding employees who wish to continue nursing their children when they return to work. LAP services include lactation rooms, lactation loaner pumps, lactation/nursing support and care kits. We have also contracted with a lactation specialist to better assist employees with their lactation needs. LADWP is in the process of improving lactation rooms at JFB and providing better accommodations for employees outside of JFB and in the field.
Nursing mothers must also be provided a reasonable amount of time to express milk. Whenever possible, this should run concurrently with scheduled rest and/or lunch periods already provided to the employee. Up to an additional fifteen minutes will be provided per period if extra time is needed to express milk. Continuous-operation or shift employees must coordinate with their supervision to ensure operating needs are covered, but will also be provided with up to thirty minutes for up to two instances per day. Nursing mothers should work with their supervisors if a different time other than the regularly scheduled rest/lunch periods is required, or if additional time is needed beyond that provided above. However, additional time will not be credited as time worked.
For more information on LAP, please visit the LAP MYDWP intranet page.You may also contact LADWP Family Care by phone at (213) 367-4153 or by email at LAP@ladwp.com.
Safety Perception Survey
In an effort to continuously improve workplace safety, the LADWP Office of Corporate Health and Safety, in partnership with the Joint Safety and Training Institute (JSTI), is conducting a benchmark Safety Perception Survey. The findings from our 2013 and 2017 Safety Perception Surveys resulted in significant changes such as SafeStart and the Peer Volunteer Program. But there is more work to do to ensure every LADWP employee spends their career here without accident or injury. This confidential survey gives every employee an opportunity to help improve workplace safety by providing valuable feedback.
Access the survey online here. Paper surveys are available through your division safety representative. Please complete the survey by December 2, 2022.
Photo by Chris Corsmeier
Photo by Chris Corsmeier
Día de los Muertos Ofrenda at Grand Park
LADWP’s Society for Hispanic Engineers (SHPE), along with the American Society for Civil Engineers (ASCE) Los Angeles Young Member Forum (YMF), was proud to debut an “ofrenda” (altar) alongside 20 other artists in the annual Grand Park Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration. The installation remained on display from October 22 through November 2, and was the result of collaboration between multiple Department employees, divisions and professional and employee resource groups.
During Día de los Muertos, families create ofrendas to honor their departed family members that have passed. LADWP’s altar concept, “Los Angeles: El Nuevo Aztlan,” sought to pay tribute to fallen heroes, symbolize unity and celebrate our diverse cultural backgrounds, and was developed by Architectural Associate and LADWP-SHPE Cultural Development Chair Itzel Ortega Almazan.
LADWP-SHPE worked with the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to send out a Department-wide invitation to participate. The structure was built with support from the Power Construction & Maintenance division’s Main Street General Construction Cabinet Shop and Paint Shop. Detailed work was then laser cut and hand painted by employee volunteers, friends and families at a work area provided by JFB Facilities Services. LADWP-SHPE hopes to reuse the altar for future Día de los Muertos celebrations.
Celebrating Diwali, the Festival of Lights
On October 26, approximately 60 employees came together to celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights. Sponsored by employee resource group ASPIRE (Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Supporting Progress, Inclusion, Respect & Empowerment) and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, this year's get together is the first time that Diwali has been celebrated at JFB.
Traditionally held over a period of five days, Diwali marks the triumph of light over darkness and is celebrated by over a billion people of the Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Newar Buddhist faiths. Holiday activities include lighting special “diyas” (lamps), exchanging gifts, and sharing beautifully prepared food and “mithais” (sweets). “Diwali is one of the biggest holidays in South Asia and it was very meaningful to see my culture represented and celebrated at the department,” said Vipul Sampat, ASPIRE Diwali Event Chair.
Participants enjoyed eating Diwali sweets, meeting colleagues across all three systems, and taking a selfie at the Diwali-themed photo booth. “My ancestry includes relatives from India and this event is a rich opportunity for us to recognize and celebrate the cultural diversity that unites and strengthens us as a department,” said Anselmo Collins, Senior Assistant General Manager, Water System.
To learn more about ASPIRE, contact ASPIRE@ladwp.com or visit the ASPIRE page on MyDWP.
Photos by Chris Corsmeier and courtesy of ASPIRE
Photo by Chris Corsmeier
LADWP Staff Assists with Cooper’s Hawk Rescue
It’s not uncommon for birds to take up residence at the Van Norman Complex in Granada Hills. But it is uncommon for one to seemingly ask for help. In this case it was a young Cooper’s Hawk that landed briefly and then attempted flight. Take off was not successful, and soon the bird was back on the ground, this time spiraling in what looked like a seizure.
Acting Painter Supervisor James Yamishiro (left) sprang into rescue mode, cradling the bird in his arms and securing a crate for transportation to someone who could help the raptor. Labor Supervisor Manny Martinez (right) enlisted help from Wendi Gladstone (center) of Sky Valley Volunteers, who was able to take the bird to the California Wildlife Center (CWC) in Calabasas. Yamishiro’s quick action and Martinez’s strong connection to the community saved this bird’s life. CWC’s vet noted severe trauma to the left eye and spent the next 30-days nursing the beautiful bird back to health. The rescue team had the honor of releasing the healthy hawk back into its natural habitat.
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This publication is written and published by the Corporate Strategy and Communications Division. For other 2022 issues, click the three horizontal lines icon next to the Contact logo at the top left of the document. Then click the “Editions” tab. For issues from 2000-2021, see Intranet page MyDWP/.
