The passage of the PUMP Act last year not only significantly expanded workplace lactation rights, it highlighted just how inhospitable workplaces can be for breastfeeding parents. One of the significant aspects of the new workplace law was the right for employees to sue, and there's been a surge in class action lawsuits for Pump Act non-compliance. And even when employers are trying to comply with the law and support breastfeeding employees, there's confusion over who defines "reasonable" break time or what is a suitable lactation space. What's more, a widespread lack of awareness for what pumping employees need can make it next to impossible for new parents to meet their breastfeeding goals.

There's lots of uncertainty regarding lactation rights

In our most recent survey of 15,000 parents, a concerning 53% were unsure of their workplace lactation rights, and over a quarter felt unsupported at work. This uncertainty underscores the need for clearer communication and understanding of lactation accommodations in the workplace, so that employers and employees can have the critical conversations needed to create inclusive workplaces.

Even some "legal" lactation spaces aren't suitable for pumping

While several states have stricter laws, the federal Pump Act leaves lots of room for interpretation when it comes to what a lactation space can be. As a result, we've heard about parents being offered noisy mechanical rooms that also double as meditation spaces, teachers pumping in supply closets, and other inventive but impractical workplace solutions (like the boss who removed a toilet from a bathroom stall and added a chair). Breastfeeding parents are pumping milk to take home to feed to their babies. What's required are comfortable spaces with appropriately placed outlets and easy-to-clean surfaces for prepping to pump and packing up.