Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - EEOC Issues Final Regulation on Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, Upcoming Events & more

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Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - EEOC Issues Final Regulation on Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, Upcoming Events & more

4/19/2024

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- Take Action: Urge Congress to Support Breastfeeding Pilots and Flight Attendants
- Join the USBC Black Alliance Meeting This Thursday!
- USBC Joins the HMBANA 2024 International Donor Milk Conference
- Donate Your Old Vehicle to the USBC and Make a Difference!
National News
- EEOC Issues Final Regulation on Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
- DOD Announces Modifications to Childbirth Support Services Childbirth and Breastfeeding Support Demonstration
- A Better Balance Interactive Overview Paid Family and Medical Leave Laws in the United States
State & Community News
- Alabama Bill Introduced to Provide Paid Parental Leave to State Employees
- California Bill Introduced to Require Judicial Council Report on Lactation Rooms Compliance
Action Opportunities
Upcoming Events
News & Views
Journal Publications

denotes a USBC member organization news item denotes a USBC-affiliated constellation news item

USBC Updates

Take Action: Urge Congress to Support Breastfeeding Pilots and Flight Attendants

In December 2022, the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act was signed into law, extending the right to pump breast milk during the workday to an additional 9 million workers. While this was a major victory, our work isn't finished yet. Flight crew—pilots and flight attendants—are still not protected under federal law. Breastfeeding success shouldn't depend on your job type. Take action by contacting your legislators today and urging them to pass the AIR PUMP Act and support breastfeeding pilots and flight attendants.

Join the USBC Black Alliance Meeting This Thursday!

USBC Board Chair Tiana Pyles and Interim Executive Director Tina Sherman are hosting the next bimonthly USBC Black Alliance meeting on Thursday, April 25, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. ET. Identity Caucuses are safe spaces for those within a broad and diverse community to establish and nurture connections with people with a shared identity. We all have a role to play in eliminating disparities in access to lactation-supportive policies, systems, and environments, and our individual identities impact how we experience these inequities. This Black Alliance meeting will provide an opportunity to connect, celebrate, and collectively consider how this group can be scheduled and formatted to best meet the needs of Black individuals in the USBC network. If you are interested in participating in the USBC Black Alliance or any identity caucus, please complete the "USBC Identity Caucus Interest Form."

USBC Joins the HMBANA 2024 International Donor Milk Conference

USBC National Policy Director Cheryl Lebedevitch joined the Human Milk Banking Association of North America conference with an exhibit urging participants to take action in support of the Access to Donor Milk Act (S.2819/ H.R.5486) and distributing the new co-branded fact sheet developed by the USBC and HMBANA. The conference theme, Harnessing the Power of Donor Milk and Making a Collective Impact, speaks to the importance of policies that support access to and help facilitate the distribution of pasteurized donor human milk to babies in need. Help call on policymakers to advance this important legislation by taking action: join the organizational sign-on letter or contact your legislators with the USBC easy action tool.

Donate Your Old Vehicle to the USBC and Make a Difference!

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee is partnered with CARS, a non-profit 501(c)(3) that turns old vehicles into cash that directly benefits the USBC. By donating your used or otherwise non-functioning vehicle, boat, plane, trailer, RV, or even farm equipment, you will be contributing essential funding for our continued advocacy efforts. CARS has made the donation process seamless from start to finish with experts who are prepared to handle all the details for you. All you need to do is complete a simple form or make a call. Then you can sit back and embrace the space you are opening up in your driveway, garage, or shed, all while feeling great about your donation! Not only does your donation make it possible to continue advocating for human milk feeding protections, but it may be tax-deductible for you too. Visit the Ways to Give webpage to learn more and get started today!

National News

EEOC Issues Final Regulation on Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued a final rule and interpretive guidance to implement the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). The PWFA requires a covered entity to provide reasonable accommodations to a qualified employee's or applicant's known limitations related to, affected by, or arising out of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless the accommodation will cause an undue hardship. The final rule provides many important protections for lactating workers. This includes time and space to pump breast milk during the workday, including ensuring that the area for lactation is in reasonable proximity to the employee's usual work area, is a place other than a bathroom, is shielded from view and free from intrusion, regularly cleaned, has electricity, appropriate seating, and a surface sufficient to place a breast pump, and that it is in reasonable proximity to a sink, running water, and a refrigerator for storing milk. In addition, the rule supports direct breastfeeding when the regular location of the employee's workplace makes nursing during work hours a possibility because the child is in close proximity as well as provides leave for pregnancy and recovery from childbirth. Highlights from the field include:

A Better Balance:
American Civil Liberties Union: "ACLU Applauds EEOC Final Regulations for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act"
Center for WorkLife Law: "Celebrating Strong Protections for Pregnant Workers: EEOC Regulations Clarify Rights For Millions Of Workers"
Legal Aid at Work: "Legal Aid at Work Applauds EEOC's Robust Final Rule for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act"
National Partnership for Women & Families: "National Partnership Commends Rule Finalizing Strong Protections for 2.8 Million Pregnant Workers"
National Women's Law Center: "NWLC Applauds the EEOC's Rule Implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act"
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission:

DOD Announces Modifications to Childbirth Support Services Childbirth and Breastfeeding Support Demonstration

The Department of Defense (DOD) issued a notice titled "Modification To Childbirth Support Services Covered Under the TRICARE Childbirth and Breastfeeding Support Demonstration." The notice announces adjustments to the reimbursement and provider qualifications for childbirth support services under the Childbirth and Breastfeeding Support Demonstration (CBSD). The adjustments include a new reimbursement methodology, new doula-specific codes, increased flexibility for antepartum and postpartum visits, and a new requirement for certified labor doulas to be participating providers.

A Better Balance Interactive Overview Paid Family and Medical Leave Laws in the United States

A Better Balance launched "Interactive Overview of Paid Family and Medical Leave Laws in the United States." The new resource can be used to compare every comprehensive paid family and medical leave program throughout the country. The overview includes a range of information, including covered purposes, covered workers, requirements to qualify for benefits, covered family members, program funding, information about wage replacement, and maximum leave duration.

State & Community News

Alabama Bill Introduced to Provide Paid Parental Leave to State Employees

Alabama state Representative Shaver introduced Alabama House Bill 309. The bill would provide state employees with eight weeks of paid parental leave following the birth of a child or the placement of a child who is under one year old with a state employee for adoption and would provide spouses who work within the same state agencies with eight combined weeks of paid leave.

California Bill Introduced to Require Judicial Council Report on Lactation Rooms Compliance

The California state Committee on Judiciary introduced Assembly Bill 3280. The bill would require the Judicial Council to submit a report to the legislature on an annual basis documenting the construction, installation, and renovation of lactation rooms in superior courts to comply with existing lactation-related workplace laws.