Does anyone know good resources about whatever the laws and policies are for breastfeeding moms who return to work and need to pump? I just recently was informed by my job that I would be having to move offices temporarily due to some work being done in the building. However, I am being displaced for the longest amount of time as people are going to be using my office as a temporary office as well. They thought that would be having my displaced for just my maternity leave, but now have realized that I will be returning still displaced. I currently work in a residential facility and I am moving to a Unit Staff office that is surrounded by windows and provides me with no privacy. Even if I put up curtains, the Unit is in use and I will have no privacy from the kids and other staff even with a shut door. I do not want to end up having to go to the bathroom to pump in a stall either. I feel like I have some rights in being able to say that I need a private space to do this and they should be accomodating, but wanted to see if any of you mamas out there knew of some good places that might provide that information in my search. I appreciate it!
@Ellis - THANK YOU! Your answer was exactly what I was looking for. Yes, I went to the Le Leche League web site after the first response and discovered the same issues. Of course MO has a LOT of weak laws when it comes to the family in the first place. It is one of my biggest complaints as a social worker and explains our bottom rankings in several different categories.
I am fortunate that I have a pretty understanding boss who realizes that these temporary changes are causing multiple people difficulties, and she, as a mother of two grown children, has been very understanding of everything pregnancy related (she even gave me a gift today and told me to send her lots of pictures when he gets here). I am planning to ask her about it hopefully before I leave, but if not, then I will discuss it with her while I'm actually on maternity leave. The main thing is I need to find a place and there are just not many good ones at my job. It's the downfall of working with teenage boys in a 24/7 residential facility. They have to have a lot of open spaces to make sure they are not doing anything wrong.
La Leche League's website has a link to the different states to give their laws and such.
I do not see a specific law in MO about pumping... tho they do have laws on breastfeeding. Just mention to your manager, that you will need a private place provided for you to pump since your private office is being used in another capacity.
Federal Health Reform and Nursing Mothers
President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, on March 23 and the Reconciliation Act of 2010 on March 30, 2010. Among many provisions, it amends the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938 to require an employer to provide a place, other than a bathroom a place, and reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk every time she needs to for her nursing child for one year after the birth. The employer is not required to compensate an employee for the break time taken. If these requirements impose an undue hardship, an employer that employs fewer than 50 employees is not subject to these requirements. The federal requirements do not preempt a state law that provides greater protections to employees. For more information, see the U.S. Department of Labor's Fact Sheet on Break Time for Nursing Mothers under the FLSA.
Forty-four states (including MO) have laws that specifically allow women to breastfeed in any public or private location.
Twenty-eight states (NOT including MO) exempt breastfeeding from public indecency laws.
Twenty-four states (NOT including MO) have laws related to breastfeeding in the workplace.
I checked out LLLI and from a brief check...Missouri has some of the weakest legal support for BFing mothers.
I will be pumping at work as well. I am trying to come up with a curtain type situation that I can use around my work station. I would like something light weight that can easily be set up and removed. I could use the restroom or set myself up an area in the downstairs storage room, but they seem yucky and not appealing what so ever. So mind is working overtime and I'll probably end up building something out of pvc. I keep thinking something like a shower curtain where I can just open and close it easily. I'll let you know if i come up with anything :)
