SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — A state House Democrat plan would allow working moms to get paid break time to breastfeed their babies.
This would work as an additional paid work lunch break, just this time it's the baby having the meal. It would require employers to give their nursing mom workers reasonable time to breastfeed their little one at work while still receiving pay.Â
State Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview) said a lot of low-income mothers find it difficult to balance their work life while taking care of their newborn baby.
"These moms are very concerned that when they do have to go to work and they have to nurse [their child] they will be docked pay," Fine said. "For feeding their child, something that is out of their control."
In committee, GOP lawmakers voted against the bill, who said there are already accommodations for breastfeeding at work, and this plan is playing favorites.
"Myself as a working mother and a mother that breastfed I was able to accomplish both and no harm was done to me," State Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) said. "I did not appear to be favored among my other colleagues but I was still able to express milk at work."
The proposal passed the Senate labor committee on a partisan 12-5 vote. Now the bill will head to the Senate floor, where lawmakers could talk about it in the coming weeks.
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