Arkansas

Breastfeeding in Arkansas

Mothers in Arkansas have the right to breastfeed in any public location, as long as they are legally allowed to be there. Arkansas has workplace lactation accommodation legislation that are equal to, but do not exceed, the protections offered by the federal FLSA’s PUMP Act—which provides workplace lactation accommodation protections for all breastfeeding employees.

The federal FLSA’s PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act protects all breastfeeding employees, but Arkansas state law already requires employers to support all breastfeeding employees by providing break time and a space (other than a bathroom) to pump at work.

Right to Breastfeed in Public

Arkansas’s breastfeeding laws provide specific protections, including the right to breastfeed in places like restaurants, stores, and public transportation. Learn more: Alaska Statutes on Breastfeeding.

Workplace Protections for Breastfeeding

Arkansas has state laws protecting breastfeeding at work. However, under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), employers must provide reasonable break times and a private, non-bathroom space for employees to express breast milk during working hours. This ensures that breastfeeding employees can pump milk during the workday without being subjected to undue hardship.

Support for Breastfeeding Families

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act makes it illegal for any employer in the U.S. with 15 or more workers to treat employees unfairly because they are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or have experienced pregnancy loss.

In Arkansas, for a pregnant working individual, or a woman recovering from childbirth, or pumping milk, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act can help protect the health of such individuals and even the health of the pregnancy, without losing her job. More so, under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, a nationwide law, most workers have a right to “reasonable accommodations,” or temporary changes at work. An individual does not have to get pregnancy complications to be eligible for an accommodation.

Reasonable accommodations can include

• Flexible scheduling for prenatal or postnatal appointments
• Leave or time off to recover from childbirth, even if you don’t qualify for the FMLA.
• Leave or time off for bed rest, recovery from miscarriage, postpartum depression, mastitis, and other pregnancy-related health issues
• Changing a uniform or dress code, like allowing wearing maternity pants
• Breaks, private space (not in a bathroom), and other accommodations for lactation needs, like adding a lock to a meeting room for private breast milk expression
• Remote work or telework, amongst others.

Breastfeeding in Arkansas

Mothers in Arkansas have the right to breastfeed in any public location, as long as they are legally allowed to be there. Arkansas has workplace lactation accommodation legislation that are equal to, but do not exceed, the protections offered by the federal FLSA’s PUMP Act—which provides workplace lactation accommodation protections for all breastfeeding employees.

The federal FLSA’s PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act protects all breastfeeding employees, but Arkansas state law already requires employers to support all breastfeeding employees by providing break time and a space (other than a bathroom) to pump at work.

Right to Breastfeed in Public

Arkansas’s breastfeeding laws provide specific protections, including the right to breastfeed in places like restaurants, stores, and public transportation. Learn more: Arkansas Statutes on Breastfeeding.

Workplace Protections for Breastfeeding

Arkansas has state laws protecting breastfeeding at work. However, under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), employers must provide reasonable break times and a private, non-bathroom space for employees to express breast milk during working hours. This ensures that breastfeeding employees can pump milk during the workday without being subjected to undue hardship.

Support for Breastfeeding Families

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act makes it illegal for any employer in the U.S. with 15 or more workers to treat employees unfairly because they are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or have experienced pregnancy loss.

The Arkansas Civil Rights Act also bans discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions by employers with 9 or more employees.

In Arkansas, for a pregnant working individual, or a woman recovering from childbirth, or pumping milk, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act can help protect the health of such individuals and even the health of the pregnancy, without losing her job. More so, under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, a nationwide law, most workers have a right to “reasonable accommodations,” or temporary changes at work. An individual does not have to have pregnancy complications to be eligible for an accommodation.

“Reasonable accommodations” can include

• Flexible scheduling for prenatal or postnatal appointments
• Leave or time off to recover from childbirth, even if you don’t qualify for the FMLA.
• Leave or time off for bed rest, recovery from miscarriage, postpartum depression, mastitis, and other pregnancy-related health issues
• Changing a uniform or dress code, like allowing the wearing of maternity pants
• Breaks, private space (not in a bathroom), and other accommodations for lactation needs, like adding a lock to a meeting room for private breast milk expression
• Remote work or telework, amongst others.