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Pumping at Work cont'd
Didn't want this to get lost...
MrsAD:
Yeah, my HR said already that she's not going to comply because she thinks it's stupid. Joy.
Say what now? Is it a requirement for companies of a certain size, like FMLA? That is kind of ridiculous. Do you have an office?
My company has a room, though it is abused by other staff b/c they call it the "multipurpose room" not the pumping room. it is also kind of gross in there.
Because of Obama's new healthcare act, a company that has over 50 people is required to provide adequate space (that isn't a bathroom). Here are the specifics:
President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, H.R. 3590, on March 23 and the Reconciliation Act of 2010, H.R. 4872, on March 30, 2010. (See the combined full text of Public Laws 111-148 and 111-152 here.) Among many provisions, Section 4207 amends the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938 (29 U.S.Code 207) to require an employer to provide a place, other than a bathroom a place, and reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk every time she needs to for her nursing child for one year after the birth. The employer is not required to compensate an employee for the break time taken. If these requirements impose an undue hardship, an employer that employs fewer than 50 employees is not subject to these requirements. The federal requirements do not preempt a state law that provides greater protections to employees. For more information, see the U.S. Department of Labor's Fact Sheet on Break Time for Nursing Mothers under the FLSA.
Yep, we currently have 56 employees and she knows that they have to comply, she just doesn't care enough to.
I work in a large room with cubicles, so no office to close the door 
Honestly, the only place TO go unless they set something up is a frequently used bathroom. It's 2 rooms, the first part has the orange monster (couch that you see in my HDBD pics) and a cabinet and the second room is where the sink and stall are - the only positive it that it does have an outlet. The room doesn't lock (the stall does) ... our way of indicating if someone is in there is to turn off the light when you leave.
People still peak in the second room when they want you to know that they need to use the restroom and are too lazy to walk to the other one (and that one is set up even worse for pumping).
Oh yeah, and HR lady will only FMLA protect me for 6 weeks, not 12. Even though she has for others. Whatever. I probably wouldn't have taken 12, but maybe 8 or 10 weeks.
For the record, I really like my work ... HR lady is clearly there to do what she can for the good of the company rather than the good of the employee.
Re: Pumping at Work cont'd
ok, ok, I am clearly not a mom but this sh!t infurates me. FMLA is a federal law. You can take 12 weeks (for the record, it can be up to a year of the child's birth)
and yes, you need to get reasonable accommodations for pumping/nursing.
Sorry, it is already hard enough on a working mom to be away from their child(ren), this added stress is not needed.
or you can sue your work for millions and then be a SAHM.
and now I am butting out.
All of this. I'd push a lot harder, all on fronts (BFing room, 12 weeks, etc). She can't pick and choose what gets followed. Federal law trumps her douchey attitude.
Oh I am fully aware of all of the laws and that what she is doing is 100% wrong and against federal law. The last female to have a baby was 2 or 3 years ago, but even still - I've had many discussions with this HR lady since the P@W law has gone into effect.
We were just bought out by a new parent company, so my plan is to give that a few weeks to see what changes happen.
I don't know that I am going to push the time off, I think I could get that part resolved, but DH and I already have worked out what our plans are and have built a separate savings specifically for that.
I think my last resort will be to send her an e-mail and copy a few other important people in on it and let them know that my intentions are to nurse and that I will need a dedicated space upon my return to work. Then let them work it out while I am gone. It might be fun to go all crazy mom on them if nothing were to change by the time I return
Good. Don't let them push you around!
2012 Reading Challenge
I think you're doing the right thing by waiting to see since you were bought, but if you're covered (you can always send her this) you can always offer to contact the state labor department or an employment attorney to discuss your issues.
it is ILLEGAL for her to not comply. "only cover 6 weeks" instead of 12 is not allowed. your employment is protected for 12 weeks (unpaid).
Thanks for the link! Yeah, I am hoping that the new parent company will revamp a lot of things around here, this being one of them!
On the plus side, I just read that WI has a few great BFing laws in place:
Wis. Stat. ? 944.17(3), ? 944.20(2) and ? 948.10(2) (1995) provide that breastfeeding mothers are not in violation of criminal statutes of indecent or obscene exposure. (AB 154)
2009 Wis. Laws, Act 148 provides that a mother may breastfeed her child in any public or private location where the mother and child are otherwise authorized to be. The law specifies that in such a location, no person may prohibit a mother from breastfeeding her child, direct a mother to move to a different location to breastfeed her child, direct a mother to cover her child or breast while breastfeeding, or otherwise restrict a mother from breastfeeding her child. (2009 AB 57)
These just give the big 'ole middle finger to those intolerant to nursing in public!
Do it. I hope this does get resolved b/c her douchey attitude is going to cost her.....