Working Mothers Allotted ‘Reasonable’ Time For Expressing Milk Under Health Care Law

The newly enacted health care overhaul contains an amendment to Section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act that requires employers to provide “reasonable break time” to employees to allow them to express breast milk for nursing children.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148) was signed into law by President Obama March 23 (55 DLR A-9, 3/24/10).

Section 4207 of the new law, “Reasonable Break Time For Nursing Mothers,” requires that the break time be provided for one year after the child’s birth “each time such employee has need to express ...