A woman who worked for Totes/Isotoner Corp. was fired for taking too many bathroom breaks. No, she wasn't snorting coke in there. She was pumping breast milk.
After losing in court in 2008, and again on an appeal, LaNisa Allen is appealing to a higher authority -- the Ohio Supreme Court.
The legal argument seems to be that "the company didn't discriminate because breastfeeding doesn't legally constitute an illness or medical condition." Attorneys for Totes/Isotoner also say that "there is legal precedent showing that employers don't have to give extra breaks to breastfeeding women."
That may be true. But so what? (I mean, it's not like she was driving while she pumped.) No, breast feeding isn't an "illness" but I was surprised to read that someone was fired for doing it at work, sued, and then lost. Twice. It will be interesting to see if the Ohio Supremes are more sympathetic to Allen's cause. Even if the company was legally correct, it seems like bad policy to punish a breast feeding mother like this.
Anyone have any experiences, good or bad, with pumping on the job?
Source: Dayton Daily News via Slate
Image: ymswwc.com
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