Homepage

New Law Helps Nursing Mothers in the Workplace New Law Helps Nursing Mothers in the Workplace

By Bailee Tucker

Bailee: NEW YORK GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL HAS ANNOUNCED A NEW LAW THAT WILL ALLOW MOTHERS TO TAKE A THIRTY MINUTE PAID BREAK TO EXPRESS BREAST MILK. GOVERNOR HOCHUL HAS STATED HER DEDICATION TO HELP SUPPORT WORKING FAMILIES IN THE PAST, AND THIS NEW LAW IS NO EXCEPTION.

SHE SAID YESTERDAY, “AS NEW YORK’S FIRST MOM GOVERNOR, I AM FIGHTING EVERY DAY TO GIVE WORKING PARENTS THE PROTECTIONS THEY NEED TO KEEP THEIR FAMILIES STRONG AND HEALTHY. FROM OUR NATION-LEADING PRENATAL LEAVE PROGRAM TO THIS LEGISLATION REQUIRING EMPLOYERS TO GIVE BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS MUCH-NEEDED BREAK TIME, OUR STATE IS CONTINUING TO STAND UP FOR PARENTS IN THE WORKPLACE AND PROTECT MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH.” SYRACUSE RESIDENT MOLLY SUPPORTS HER DECISION.

Molly: Yes I think that the government should support that however possible. so to give a new mother some time to pump and express milk for their baby, I think would be very important.

Bailee: THE LAW STATES THAT EMPLOYERS ARE PROHIBITED FROM MAKING MOTHERS MAKE UP THE TIME THEY SPEND PUMPING, AND THEY WILL ALSO STILL BE ALLOTTED TIME FOR EATING AS WELL AS REGULAR PAID BREAKS. RESIDENT MICHAEL SAYS THAT THIS IS THE BEST CASE SCENARIO FOR HE SITUATION.

Michael: I’m sort of old school on that. not sure because if that’s the situation for the moms shouldn’t be working at all. but if she is working at all, i hope she’s got an employer that would do that.

Bailee: ACCORDING TO THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, SEVENTY PERCENT OF MOTHERS WITH CHILDREN UNDER 18 PARTICIPATE IN THE LABOR FORCE, WITH OVER 75 PERCENT EMPLOYED FULL-TIME. WHILE THIS IS ONLY A STATE LAW, TIME WILL TELL IF OTHER STATES FOLLOW SUIT TO SUPPORT WORKING MOTHERS.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that a new law will go into effect Wednesday that allows postpartum women in the workplace to take a 30-minute break to express milk from their breasts.

The breaks will be paid, and will not require mothers to make up the lost time before or after work. The mandate applies whenever employees have a reasonable need to express breast milk and extends up to three years following childbirth.

Hochul, who has been vocal about her commitment to helping support working families, said she will continue to aid those families as much as possible.

“As New York’s first mom governor, I am fighting every day to give working parents the protections they need to keep their families strong and healthy. From our nation-leading prenatal leave program to this legislation requiring employers to give breastfeeding mothers much-needed break time, our state is continuing to stand up for parents in the workplace and protect maternal and child health,” Hochul said, in a press release.

This comes as a drastic change from the previous requirement, where employers were only obligated to provide reasonable unpaid break time for this purpose.

For more information, visit the New York State Department of Labor’s website.

Related Articles