Last December, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which included two laws expanding the rights of pregnant and nursing employees—the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA).
The PUMP Act amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to require employers provide reasonable break time and private, non-bathroom space for nursing parents to pump for a nursing child’s first year of life.
The PWFA requires employers with over 15 employees to provide qualified employees and applicants with reasonable accommodations related to the known limitations of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.
Further, the PWFA prohibits employers from requiring employees to take leave, if another accommodation can be provided, retaliating against employees for requesting accommodations or reporting/opposing unlawful discrimination, denying employment opportunities to employees based on the need for accommodation, or requiring employees to accept an accommodation other than one arrived at through the interactive process.
The PUMP Act provides for both legal and equitable remedies under the FLSA—but if an employee wishes to bring an...
A woman has been jailed for posting a string of lies on social media about her police officer ex-husband, claiming he was a "rapist" and a "baby killer". Jennifer Pritchard, 47, from Tredegar in B...