Know Your Breastfeeding Rights
Before coming to Congress, I served in the Virginia General Assembly for 18 sessions. I was the first member of the Virginia House of Delegates to become pregnant and give birth while in office. I remember the logistical, social, and emotional challenges I faced while trying to nurse, pump, and store my breast milk when I went back to work.
My experience impressed on me the importance of strong social and institutional support and the need for workplace protections, leading me to champion bills to require schools to provide breaks to students and a place to pump or nurse, allow individuals to nurse in any public place where they are legally allowed to be, and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to require employers to provide accommodations to pregnant and lactating people. The federal version of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act was signed into law in June 2023!
Despite the progress we have made, many employees may not know their rights when it comes to breastfeeding. Below are state and federal resources outlining your rights and other helpful information.
FEDERAL RESOURCES
- U.S. Department of Labor FAQ - Pumping Breast Milk at Work
- U.S. Department of Labor Fact Sheet #73 - Break Time for Nursing Employees under the FLSA
- U.S. Department of Labor - Fair Labor Standards Act Protections to Pump at Work
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Breastfeeding and Lactation
STATE RESOURCES