New York Governor Signs Law to Protect Nursing Moms in the Workplace

On Tuesday, Governor Eliot Spitzer signed into law legislation that protects working mothers' ability to continue providing nutrient-rich breastmilk to their infants upon their return to the workplace.

The legislation now requires that employers provide unpaid time for nursing women to express breastmilk if they decide this is the method in which they use to meet the nutritional needs of their children. This legislation requires the employer to provide a private space for women to pump milk or even nurse their children. The employer is required to provide this space for a period up to three years.

This law prevents employers from discriminating against women who chose to provide breastmilk for their children.

The Governor of New York, Eliot Spitzer stated, "A woman should not be forced to sacrifice her ability to provide for her children economically or nutritionally." He went on to say that "Employers know the merit of retaining valuable employees, and this modest accommodation allows mothers who chose to breast feed to continue their invaluable contribution to the economy without fearing for their job."

This legislation was approved unanimously. It is seen as a major victory for New York families because it protects the mother's decision to care for her child by providing breastmilk.

One important aspect of this legislation is that it provided unpaid time to pump. The women who choose to pump will be required to either utilize a portion of their lunch hour or extend the length of their day. They will not be getting paid fifteen minute breaks to pump. Many businesses throughout the United States do currently provide this option for working women.

We do see cases where this option is not given to employees. This is why this law is so important. According to the press release from the State of New York, Assemblywoman Roann Destito, stated that "A young mother was fired in my district for expressing breast milk for her child. That will not happen again because today we recognize that all women may choose to work and that their children will have the best nutritional care available at the early stages of life."

Government has stepped in to ensure that a mother can not be discriminated against in the state of New York just because of her decision to Breastfeed. This follows on the heals of New York Hospitals becoming "baby-friendly." On July 31^st New York Hospitals choose to discontinue the practice of giving away samples of formula and formula relates goodie bags from the formula companies. These bags have been replaced instead, according to the Wall Street Journal, with bags that, "will have, among other things, a breast-milk bottle cooler and a baby T-shirt that says "I eat at mom's."

By allowing new mothers to no longer be discriminated based on their feeding choice is a win-win for both employees and employers. Breastmilk has been shown in study after study to improve baby's immunity, thus reducing the amount of colds, ear infections, and other common childhood illnesses. A healthier child means less time off of work for mom.

Information courtesy of: http://www.state. ny.us/governor/ press/0822072. html
http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2007/07/31/ny-hospitals-end-formula-giveaways-for-new-moms/?mod=yahoo_hs