US DOL Provides Resources on Protections for Nursing Mothers

The federal Department of Labor has launched an effort to educate workers about the new Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers (“PUMP”) Act.

As we discussed in our December 2022 E-Update, the PUMP Act expands the existing lactation accommodations for nursing mothers under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to include exempt, as well as non-exempt, employees. Employers must provide reasonable break time as needed and a private place, other than a bathroom, for nursing mothers to express breast milk for one year following a child’s birth. The new law exempts small employers for whom compliance would impose an undue hardship. There are also exceptions for certain employees of air and rail carriers, as well as motorcoach services operators.

The DOL has a webpage with resources, including fact sheets and guidance, for employees who are nursing and their employers. It will also engage in national outreach to inform workers and employers on the expansion of breastfeeding protections in the workplace.