I think I was threatened at work today

[itsafineday]

@diamondoutofdust i was a home care nurse for a couple years. I pumped in my car for over 4 months. it was cramped and awful, and yes people would walk by on the street sometimes and see me. I also would often eat and chart (on a laptop) while pumping because my day was so hectic. my milk supply was pathetic, i was so stressed.

i switched jobs to an office type job in a hospital. had a nice dedicated lactation room with a comfy reclining chair. it was night and day. did that for about 3 months. no one gave me a hard time about leaving for 20+ mins twice a day. i still took my lunch break and left work on time.

sorry what you're going thru. truly awful.

 

[diamondoutofdust]

@itsafineday Oh god, home care is the 9th circle of hell, I’m so sorry you went through that. I’m glad things are better for you. This is just my second job, but other job is a good union job in a healthcare facility where nobody says anything when it comes to nursing, and I have use of a lovely space in the NICU that’s fully stocked with snacks and water, extra Castile soap, a microwave, it’s a dream.

 

[bbarb]

@diamondoutofdust Try this: Well, bitch, it’s the law. So if you would just cut the shit and find me a clean place with a locking door for use twice per day, that would be great.

 

[angelcynn]

@diamondoutofdust Eff her. Please, escalate this.

 

[205]

@diamondoutofdust Sounds like she has issues with motherhood. Maybe she hates her own mom or maybe she is upset because she wasn’t able to have kids.

Putting you in the janitorial closet is….a statement indeed.

 

[dormiles]

@diamondoutofdust 10000000% illegal!!! This makes me soo mad for you, mama. I would be going scorched earth.

 

[rmora]

@diamondoutofdust Are you a non-exempt FLSA employee? Generally, this is an employee who is eligible for overtime or makes hourly pay. For example, if you are salary and ineligible for overtime pay, then you would be exempt from FLSA laws.

If you are non-exempt, section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act protects your rights as a breastfeeding mother, specifically stating:

"An employer shall provide—

1. a reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for 1 year after the child’s birth each time such employee has need to express the milk; and
2. a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk.

(2)

An employer shall not be required to compensate an employee receiving reasonable break time under paragraph (1) for any work time spent for such purpose.

(3)

An employer that employs less than 50 employees shall not be subject to the requirements of this subsection, if such requirements would impose an undue hardship by causing the employer significant difficulty or expense when considered in relation to the size, financial resources, nature, or structure of the employer’s business.

(4)

Nothing in this subsection shall preempt a State law that provides greater protections to employees than the protections provided for under this subsection."

SO, if your company employs more than 50 people and your are not exempt from FLSA laws, then you need to confront your boss with the above. It should be noted that for an employer with fewer than 50 employees, they still have to file for an undue hardship before they can deny you your rights to pumping in a space that's not filthy.

I would go above your boss though to your HR manager and present all this. What she is doing is very unethical and if you are FLSA non-exempt, illegal. Women deserve better.