This article doesn’t give much detail but as a new mom, I can see how she felt discriminated against. Whether real or imagined, again not much detail in the article, coming back to work after having a baby and having to pump is a difficult time. Any little comment whether malicious or not can interpreted as discriminatory.
“…the company refused to give her access to a lactation room so she could pump breast milk.” Not to be insensitive, but couldn’t that just be done in the women’s bathroom instead? I understand the comment her supervisor made is part of this argument too, but really – what was the company supposed to do about that, build a specific lactation-only room for her and new mothers of her ilk?
YES !!! Since the baby is most likely on the company’s health insurance, and breast-fed babies are much healthier than babies fed formula (full of GMOs and other undesireable stuff), and if baby is sick, most likely, mother will then need to stay home from work, it is highly advisable, and just the right thing to do, to provide a lactation room. Many companies do. They probably wouldn’t have to “build” it – they could probably find an already-existing room for it. Most restrooms don’t have private facilities, with a place to sit and place the pump, etc. not to mention the sanitation factor.
As people have stated.. the article doesn’t provide much info. I know that the Natiowide/Allied building in Des Moines does in fact have lactation rooms. The possible issue is that they are secure rooms and must have accesss approved through the employee’s badge. If she didn’t plan ahead to request access (not all new mothers breast feed) and just expected to walk in her first day back then some responsibility lies with her. Even her manager couldn’t let her in…
Actually yes, depending on the state, companies with 50+ employees must provide a private room for mothers to pump breastmilk. As a mother of two children and having pumped both times when I came back to work, your comment about pumping in the bathroom is very insensitve. Let me prepare your breakfast, lunch and dinner 12 inches from a toilet.
Thank you for explaining lactation rooms exist in other companies, and in some instances is required by law too.
As for MGA’s comment about my comment being very insensitive – seriously? There’s a BIG difference between being uninformed (which apparently I was) and being insensitive. I just asked if it COULD just be done in a bathroom instead? Had I written “What the h*ll. Just use the bathroom. Stop complaining. It’s no big deal. S*ck it up.” fine, call me out for being insensitive then. I asked about a potential alternative without implying anything negative about the people/process/location/etc. That’s not being very insensitive, that’s just called asking a question.
I was all for this new mom until I read on another post that she had had a baby the year before, that Nationwide did provide a lactation facility, but she did not fill out the proper paperwork saying she was not aware of the procedure. How could that be if she’d just had a baby the year before?
It was probably the “ilk” part… and btw it DID seem insensitive, if your child’s meal came from your (normally not exposed) part of your body, would you want to stare at a urinal?
Having had to pump in the ladies room in the days when breast feeding was considered archaic, I can tell you I was glad to have had even that option. It is wonderful that some companies have more enlightened options now. Part of every successful workimg mom is being innovative without expecting others to do your heavy lifting. PS: Mine were twins.
How titillating….but do appreciate being kept abreast of the situation.
(Sorry; couldn’t resist)
Nationwide is getting alot of bad press lately. What a bunch of boobs!
This article doesn’t give much detail but as a new mom, I can see how she felt discriminated against. Whether real or imagined, again not much detail in the article, coming back to work after having a baby and having to pump is a difficult time. Any little comment whether malicious or not can interpreted as discriminatory.
“would’ve”? Unless this is a Facebook post that accidentally got published on the IJO website, that contraction has no place in a news article.
If this were Facebook it would have said “would of.”
“…the company refused to give her access to a lactation room so she could pump breast milk.” Not to be insensitive, but couldn’t that just be done in the women’s bathroom instead? I understand the comment her supervisor made is part of this argument too, but really – what was the company supposed to do about that, build a specific lactation-only room for her and new mothers of her ilk?
YES !!! Since the baby is most likely on the company’s health insurance, and breast-fed babies are much healthier than babies fed formula (full of GMOs and other undesireable stuff), and if baby is sick, most likely, mother will then need to stay home from work, it is highly advisable, and just the right thing to do, to provide a lactation room. Many companies do. They probably wouldn’t have to “build” it – they could probably find an already-existing room for it. Most restrooms don’t have private facilities, with a place to sit and place the pump, etc. not to mention the sanitation factor.
As people have stated.. the article doesn’t provide much info. I know that the Natiowide/Allied building in Des Moines does in fact have lactation rooms. The possible issue is that they are secure rooms and must have accesss approved through the employee’s badge. If she didn’t plan ahead to request access (not all new mothers breast feed) and just expected to walk in her first day back then some responsibility lies with her. Even her manager couldn’t let her in…
Actually yes, depending on the state, companies with 50+ employees must provide a private room for mothers to pump breastmilk. As a mother of two children and having pumped both times when I came back to work, your comment about pumping in the bathroom is very insensitve. Let me prepare your breakfast, lunch and dinner 12 inches from a toilet.
Thank you for explaining lactation rooms exist in other companies, and in some instances is required by law too.
As for MGA’s comment about my comment being very insensitive – seriously? There’s a BIG difference between being uninformed (which apparently I was) and being insensitive. I just asked if it COULD just be done in a bathroom instead? Had I written “What the h*ll. Just use the bathroom. Stop complaining. It’s no big deal. S*ck it up.” fine, call me out for being insensitive then. I asked about a potential alternative without implying anything negative about the people/process/location/etc. That’s not being very insensitive, that’s just called asking a question.
Kudos to you for answering.
I was all for this new mom until I read on another post that she had had a baby the year before, that Nationwide did provide a lactation facility, but she did not fill out the proper paperwork saying she was not aware of the procedure. How could that be if she’d just had a baby the year before?
It was probably the “ilk” part… and btw it DID seem insensitive, if your child’s meal came from your (normally not exposed) part of your body, would you want to stare at a urinal?
Having had to pump in the ladies room in the days when breast feeding was considered archaic, I can tell you I was glad to have had even that option. It is wonderful that some companies have more enlightened options now. Part of every successful workimg mom is being innovative without expecting others to do your heavy lifting. PS: Mine were twins.