USBC and Stakeholders Join White House & Federal Agency Staff to Celebrate PUMP Act and PWFA

On Friday, September 6, the White House Gender Policy Council and Office of Public Engagement convened workers, advocates, and unions to discuss the importance of recent workplace protections included in the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act, signed into law in 2022. 

USBC Executive Director Jennifer Day and National Policy Director Cheryl Lebedevitch were invited to join the roundtable event alongside changemakers from across the lactation field, including Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities, the Center for WorkLife Law, A Better Balance, American Civil Liberties Union, MomsRising, the Black Mothers’ Breastfeeding Association, and beyond. 

The event included a discussion from Gender Policy Council Director Jennifer Klein, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Chair Charlotte Burrows, and Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division at the U.S. Department of Labor Jessica Looman on the Administration’s efforts to implement these historic new protections and ensure that pregnant and postpartum workers understand their rights under these important new laws.

The PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act gives workers the right to time and space to pump breast milk while at work. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) gives workers the right to reasonable accommodations during the pregnancy and postpartum period, including accommodations related to lactation/breastfeeding.

The roundtable event celebrated these wins for families and discussed the work we have left to do to ensure that all pregnant, breastfeeding, and lactating workers are protected and that support for these workers is normalized in American workplaces. 

Jennifer Day reflected on this momentous occasion, saying “It is in recognizing the immense strides we have made that we honor the generations of workers, especially women, human milk feeding folx and marginalized communities, who have fought for the rights we now protect. The PUMP Act and PWFA are not just legislative wins, but monumental steps toward justice, equity, and true belonging in the workplace. As we celebrate these victories, we must also remain committed to continuing the work, ensuring that all pregnant and lactating workers are supported, seen, and empowered in their places of employment.”

“It was an honor to join this White House event recognizing the incredible challenges that working families have faced, celebrating the historic passage of the PUMP Act and Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and discussing opportunities to better support workers and employers so that they can maximize the health and economic benefits provided through these new laws,” said Cheryl Lebedevitch. 

The collective efforts of supporters and stakeholders made these important policy wins a reality. But our work isn’t finished yet. Families continue to face barriers to breastfeeding that policy changes can prevent. You can become a champion for change today by making a donation in support of USBC. Your generosity is what makes this possible. Together, we do great things!

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