An Act To Facilitate Lactation at the Workplace by New Mothers
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §604 is enacted to read:
§ 604. Nursing mothers in the workplace
1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
A. "Employer" means all private and public employers, including the State and political subdivisions of the State.
2. The right of nursing mothers to express breast milk. An employer shall provide reasonable break time, either compensated or uncompensated, throughout the work day for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child. The decision to provide compensated time is in the sole discretion of the employer, unless regulated by a collective bargaining agreement.
3. Accommodations. An employer shall provide an appropriate private, secure and sanitary room or other location where the employee under subsection 2 can express her milk in privacy. The room or location must be in close proximity to the work area and may not be a bathroom.
summary
This bill requires break time for nursing mothers in the workplace and requires an employer to provide a sanitary space, which must be close to the work area and may not be a bathroom, for nursing mothers to express milk in privacy.