The push to increase protections for women in the workplace scored a significant win at the turn of the new year here in New Jersey, as exiting governor Chris Christie approved a law mandating that women who choose to breastfeed while at work receive proper protection from discrimination.
This move is an important step for many working mothers who wish to remain in the workplace instead of leaving to raise a child. For many years, mothers in the workplace often felt they faced a choice between their careers and their children, leading many women to pursue less fulfilling jobs that are easier to leave and rejoin after some time away with an infant or child.
With the strengths of protection added by the new law, mothers in New Jersey receive workplace discrimination protections that encourage them to breastfeed or pump milk at work if they choose. This makes it easier to remain in the workplace and also raise a child using all the mother’s available natural resources.
Under the new law, employers must allow reasonable time each day for a mother to pump or breastfeed, and they must provide an appropriate space for the feeding or pumping, which must be something other than a bathroom stall. Employers who fail to follow these guidelines face fines and other punishment for violations.
If you believe that you have experienced workplace discrimination as a new mother, you may benefit from the guidance of an experienced attorney. An experienced New Jersey employment attorney can help you understand your rights and build a case to defend them properly.
Source: Press of Atlantic City, “New year brings new breastfeeding civil rights protections to New Jersey working women,” Nicole Leonard, Jan. 13, 2018
