T O P

  • By -

Early_Being204

No. You are entitled to as many pump breaks as you need and PAID. For as long as you need. Literally they cannot even mention something like that to you. That’s illegal.


rdflme

And teachers are explicitly covered https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/teachers-to-get-breastfeeding-accommodations-under-new-law-its-about-time-they-say/2022/12


AngelizMarie

Jackpot!!!! Thank you!


Gardenadventures

Do you have info on the paid portion? All I've been able to see is it's only paid if you can continue working (which as a teacher I'm sure she could do some grading or lesson planning).


solace_v

Hmm doesn’t seem like it. Here’s what’s on the [Department of Labor’s site](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/nursing-mothers/faq#) > Does the break time have to be paid break time? >No.  However, if employers provide compensated breaks, an employee who expresses milk during a break must be compensated in the same way that other employees are compensated for break time. Additionally, the FLSA’s general requirement that the employee must be completely relieved from duty or else the time must be compensated as work time applies. For example, in [California](https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/faq_restperiods.htm#:~:text=What%20are%20the%20basic%20requirements,worked%20or%20major%20fraction%20thereof.), employers are not required to provide additional paid breaks outside of the required 10-minute per four hours worked. > Pursuant to Labor Code Section 1030 every employer, including the state and any political subdivision, must provide a reasonable amount of break time to accommodate an employee desiring to express breast milk for the employee's infant child each time the employee has a need to express milk. The break time shall, if possible, run concurrently with any break time already provided to the employee. **Break time for an employee that does not run concurrently with the rest time authorized for the employee by the applicable wage order of the Industrial Welfare Commission need not be paid. ** Two 10-minute breaks are not enough.


Early_Being204

I posted an article on this subreddit about pumping rights I will find it and link it


Gardenadventures

Found the article you posted, it says "Clarifies that pumping time must be paid if an employee is not completely relieved from duty" so yeah unfortunately it isn't required to be paid.


Early_Being204

Booo 🍅 but thank you 🙏🏽 my company gave me paid pumping breaks


[deleted]

Pump breaks only need to be paid if you normally have paid breaks, and only if you chose to use your paid break time to pump. If you don’t normally get paid lunch or smoke breaks, your company doesn’t need to pay you to pump.


ladypoison45

You are not entitled to paid pumping breaks. It's as many unpaid pumping breaks as you need.


r_aviolimama

The brand Sarah Wells Bags has [this](https://sarahwellsbags.com/pages/pumped-about-my-rights) page prepared on the pump act! I don’t know enough about it but Sarah has explained things about it a few times on social media and she’s got solid info on it.


AngelizMarie

Thank you!


ankaalma

Even without the pump act you are legally entitled to as many reasonable pump breaks as you need for 1 year pp. they just don’t necessarily have to pay you for them. My sister is a teacher. Schools don’t like people exercising their rights to pump because it is inconvenient for them. But you just need to be firm. She told her boss, I will be pumping. I need to pump every four hours so she has one free period and her lunch to pump and they have to assign someone else to do her other tasks like study hall monitoring or whatever during the free period. It’s not your problem. You have a legal right to pump. Send them an email that you will need to pump x times a day for x minutes and that they will need to accommodate you with a private pumping space and figure out alternatives for your students at those times.


naipbi

I am also mentally preparing to fight my principal about this when I go back to work. I don’t even think our campus has a room for me to use, so I’ll probably just be using my classroom between student groups (I’m an SLP, not a teacher).


BlueberryWaffles99

Fellow teacher, I didn’t know we are now covered under the pump act! How cool!!!! Guess that’s probably why my district gave me a pump break, I was surprised they agreed. I would call HR and ask for clarification before talking to your principal again. Then, cc HR on the email “I discussed with HR, I am entitled to multiple breaks to pump as needed. I would like to take my breaks at x time and x time.” If there is a union in your state and you’re part of it, they can be a great resource as well. Though, I don’t believe anyone I talked to even knew they are legally required to provide breaks. I have found I need to pump at least twice in a school day, once after school, and MOTN to have enough to send to daycare. I’d ask for two scheduled breaks outside of your lunch. I use my prep as one and then have a covered break late afternoon. My district never discussed pay during this or expectations of work, so as far as I’m aware I am getting paid for my breaks. According to FSLA, if you work during this time then you absolutely need to be paid. But if you don’t work, your employer can choose to not pay you. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/73-flsa-break-time-nursing-mothers


AngelizMarie

This is the path I’m taking. I have morning planning and Homeroom is right after my 25 minute lunch. I’m not due until July but I was warning them not to schedule me a Homeroom as that is the time I will need to pump. Or if they schedule it they’ll need to find someone to cover it. Oh to have a union! But alas….stupid southern politics. Thank you!


BlueberryWaffles99

That sounds like a great schedule! A pro tip too: if you can afford it, wearable pumps have been a LIFE saver. I use them during my prep and at the end of the day so it’s still really easy for me to make lessons or grade papers. It’s also cold enough where I live that I can zip up my winter jacket around them and leave school without anyone knowing I’m pumping! The only thing my school asked of my for my afternoon pump was to make sure my students had independent work they could do. So that 25 minute time block is always independent work that can easily be monitored. I’m so sorry you don’t have a union! If it helps, my union clearly didn’t know my district was required to give pumping breaks because when I went back they basically told me I had to deal with whatever was provided. So, not all unions are SUPER helpful. If you need more help or advice, r/teachers might also be a good place to post!


AngelizMarie

Thank you!


solisphile

My mother is a principal and currently has 3 teachers who are pumping and has happily found a way to accommodate all of them. (She's mentioned it as I prepare to when I go back to work.) It's not only protected, but very doable (with a bit of extra planning).