Workers can now sue employers that don’t provide a reasonable amount of break time and private space for pumping breastmilk at work, thanks to a new federal law.
Last Friday, the final pieces of the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act went into effect. The law closes loopholes in previous law, expanding legal rights to nearly 9 million more workers and making it possible to sue an employer who refuses to make reasonable accommodations for pumping at work.
The new law will be “life-changing for moms, babies and families across the country, particularly for low-income women and women of color,” said Tina Sherman of MomsRising, a social welfare advocacy organization involved in pushing for the law’s passage, in a statement.
While four out of five babies start out receiving breastmilk, fewer than half still receive breastmilk past 6 months in age, according to the CDC. Research shows returning to work is associated with early discontinuation of breastfeeding, but a supportive work environment can make a difference, according to research cited by the U.S. Surgeon General.
Racial, ethnic and socioeconomic gaps persist. Black breastfeeding rates are lower than rates for other races and ethnicities. One of the biggest reasons may be employment, according to the U.S. Surgeon General’s report, which noted Black women are more likely to work in places that don’t support breastfeeding. Lower income is also associated with lower breastfeeding rates, and hourly wage workers are particularly vulnerable, often having less control over their schedules and being more likely to see their pay reduced if they take breaks to pump.
Now that workplaces are required to be more breastfeeding-friendly, here’s a quick explainer on what you should know:
1. I thought breastfeeding workers were already protected. What’s changed?
U.S. law previously required employers to provide break time and space for pumping breast milk, but the law still left about 1 in 4 women of childbearing age…
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