Verified Document

Benefits For Mother And Infant - Breastfeeding Essay

¶ … regulations from California and from the federal government as to the rights women have when it comes to breastfeeding in the workplace. The paper contrasts California guidelines with federal guidelines. In fact, once the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as "Obamacare" and the "Affordable Care Act") passed into law on March 23, 2010, it became federal law that employers are required to give mothers with babies (that are less than a year old) a break "each time such employee has need to express the milk" (U.S. Department of Labor). The Affordable Care Act in effect updated the Section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act). Health Benefits of Breastfeeding

According to the Surgeon General of the United States, whose confirmation was blocked by the U.S. Senate for nearly a year because the National Rifle Association objected to the nominee's belief that gun violence is a health issue, the health benefits of breastfeeding are significant because breast milk is "uniquely suited to human infant's nutritional needs" (ncbi.nim.nih.gov). The milk from a mother's breasts contains "unparalleled immunological and anti-inflammatory properties" that help to protect the infant from a number of diseases the child may be confronted with (ncbi.nim.nih.gov).

The risks to infants that are only fed with formula are frighteningly real: a) the risk of ear infections is "100% higher" when babies are fed only formula; b) leukemia and lower respiratory infections are higher when the infant is only fed on formula; c) the risk of being hospitalized with "lower respiratory tract disease in the first year of life is more than 250%...

In short, breastfeeding has psychosocial, economic and environmental benefits, according to the Surgeon General's report.
California / Federal Regulations for Breastfeeding Mothers at Work

The comparison between California and federal workplace laws regarding lactation at the workplace is informative. The federal law does not "preempt" any state law that offers greater protections for women who breastfeed. The California law (Labor Code §1030-33) applies to "all employers and employees" although an employer can claim an "undue hardship"; federal law applies to "non-exempt employees" but employers with fewer than 50 employees can be exempted if an "undue hardship" would be created (www.breastfeedla.org).

Both California and the federal guidelines say a "reasonable" amount of a break is required; the federal rule is a woman can have a break up to 1 year after the baby is born. Both California and the feds say "additional unpaid breaks may be taken if not used concurrently with paid breaks" and both California and the feds say a room near the work area (cannot be a bathroom) that is shielded from other workers must be provided (www.breastfeedla.org). The California civil penalty for employers not in compliance is $100 per violation; the federal civil sanction is $1,100 per violation "…for willful violations" (www.breastfeedla.org).

The California Department of Industrial Relations states that when an employer does not provide a mother a rest period "in accordance with & #8230; Labor Code Section 226.7… the employer shall pay the employee one additional hour of pay at the employee's regular rate…

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited

Breastfeed LA (2015). Worksite lactation Accommodation: California vs. Federal Lactation

Law. Retrieved May 8, 2015, from http://www.breastfeedla.org.

California Department of Industrial Relations. (2011). Rest Periods / Lactation

Accommodation. Retrieved May 8, 2015, from http://www.dir.ca.gov.
Legal Aid Society. (2011). Rights for Breastfeeding Mothers: Lactation Accommodation and Discrimination. Retrieved May 8, 2015, from http://las-elc.org.
U.S. Department of Labor. "Break Time for Nursing Mothers." Retrieved May 8, 2015, from http://www.dol.gov. 2010.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Baby Ebay the Need to
Words: 1422 Length: 4 Document Type: Term Paper

The proclaimers of baby selling argue that the moral implications are not as negative as generally perceived by the society, but that trade with babies exists in numerous markets and in numerous forms and the legalization and embracement of such procedures would only be natural. "These markets are centered around the production and acquisition of babie - babies in the form of component sperm and eggs, babies in the form

Infant Child Care and Attachment There Is
Words: 3006 Length: 11 Document Type: Term Paper

Infant Child Care and Attachment There is much concern about how infant child care will affect a child's emotional attachment to his parents and shape his future behavioral profile. Concerns around the effects of infant child care on the nature of a child's attachment to its parents and on the child's future behavioral profile bear particular relevance at a time when the traditional family unit has evolved to include the likelihood

Nestle -- Infant Formula Controversy Nestle Has
Words: 636 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Nestle -- Infant Formula Controversy Nestle has been accused of providing products to third world mother's that seriously violate the health of their children. It is not the products themselves that harm the health of the children. In fact, if they are used correctly, the Nestle formulas can serve as a nutritious supplement to an infant's diet. However, many of the third world mothers are unable to use the products correctly

Working Mothers "Women's Work": Motherhood
Words: 2110 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

1986). In actuality, as long as there is enough love and support at home, a woman working outside the home could actually provide some very useful instruction to her children, not just on the redefinition of gender roles and the multiplicity of a woman's choices that has occurred in recent decades, but also on the responsibilities of life and the hard work it takes to achieve success. This conclusion is

Baby Parenting Is a Wonderful
Words: 655 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

Therefore, the question is, in which type of pregnancy will there be a greater percentage of abortion? it's definitely not in PGD pregnancy because PGD pregnancy provides parents with the kind of child that they want. Who would want to abort a child that they dreamt of? It is in fact the normal pregnancy where a higher rate of abortion may exist because there is a 50% by 50%

Babies Born from Transplanted Uteruses Ethics
Words: 949 Length: 3 Document Type: Term Paper

Introduction Women without functioning uteruses now have a real chance of making their motherhood dreams come true with a radical new surgical procedure that involves a uterus transplant. Mats Brannstrom, the Swedish doctor who was the first in the world to deliver babies from transplanted uteruses, has successfully delivered about half a dozen babies from transplanted uteruses so far (“First baby from a uterus transplant in the U.S. born in Dallas,”

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now