Nursing Mothers Granted Work Breaks: Thankful Thursday
Nursing mothers get a break with the new health reform law. Literally, they now get a break to pump milk for their nursing infants. Hidden within thousands of pages is a provision that requires employers to grant unpaid breaks and a non-bathroom area for lactating mothers.
This isn’t a “women’s lib” issue – it’s a cultural change and an is important for the child’s long-term health. In fact, 24 states already have “nursing mothers” workplace laws. This new Federal law does not supersede those but now all mothers can return to work with one less stressful situation.
In today’s economy, many mothers must return to work quickly leaving nursing infants in the care of others. Instead of having to switch to costly (and less nutritional) formula, mother’s can periodically slip away to a private area and “make” lunch for their nursing child. The law allows for up to 1 year of nursing privilege.
Personally, my favorite part of the law is that women aren’t relegated to unsanitary office bathrooms to pump milk.
A fact sheet from the Department of Labor can be downloaded. There are still some enforcement issues that need to be worked out; however, the law is in full effect as of March 23, 2010.
Many employers may not be aware of this new law so nursing mothers may need to do some educating. Companies with less than 50 employees can be exempt if they show there is a real hardship in complying.
A special thanks to Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) for sponsored this historic federal breast-feeding legislation.
