Complying With New Laws Covering Pregnant And Nursing Workers
Along with the federal omnibus spending bill President Biden signed into law the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP Act). Both of these laws expand federal protections for pregnant and nursing workers. The PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act was signed into law on December 29th, 2022. This stemmed from the landmark legislation, The Break Time for Nursing Mothers law, which passed in 2010. It required employers to provide reasonable break time and a private, non-bathroom space for breastfeeding employees to pump during the workday. This was the first step in helping nursing mothers. However, improvements still needed to be made, as one in four women was not covered by the Break Time Law.
Understanding The PUMP Act
The Pump Act made the following changes to the Break Time Law:- Provides the right to break time and space to pump breast milk at work to millions of other workers, including teachers and nurses
- Makes it possible for workers to file a lawsuit to seek monetary remedies if their employer fails to comply
- Clarifies that pumping time must be paid if an employee is not completely relieved from duty