lactation rooms

The plaintiff-appellant was an employee of Totes/Isotoner Corporation. For two weeks, she had taken breaks to lactate without her employer’s knowledge. After the defendant-employer fired her “for her failure to follow directions,” the plaintiff filed suit alleging wrongful termination on the basis of her pregnancy. The Butler County Court of Common Pleas granted summary judgment in favor of her employer, and the Court of Appeals of Ohio affirmed.

A medical student/nursing mother alleged that the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) violated her rights under Massachusetts law by denying her additional break time and a private space to express breast milk during the United States Medical Licensing Examination.

Under the Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act, employers in New York State must provide break time and a private, shielded space for employees to express breast milk. Amendments require written policies, disclosure to new hires, and minimum standards for lactation spaces, including privacy and access to seating and electricity. The statute safeguards lactating workers from discrimination and promotes retention after childbirth.