A woman in my town was fired for breastfeeding in the child care area 
where she works. Her manager warned her not to publicly breastfeed in 
the childcare area, as she might be seen by children and it could make 
members uncomfortable. When she invoked her right under California law 
to breastfeed in public, she was fired. Her coworker was given the 
"choice" to be fired as well, or to quit on the spot.There is a third 
woman, currently pregnant, whose job hangs in the balance, as well as 
those women who will come after.Because of this situation, all employees 
were given a letter with their paychecks warning them not to allow 
members or employees to publicly breastfeed.

The law in California protects a woman's right to breastfeed wherever 
she otherwise has a legal right to be.There is no exemption for any type 
of public or private facility such as athletic clubs.

My letters, calls, and faxes have gone unanswered, but a new policy has 
been instated.The employer is now requiring all breastfeeding employees 
to clock out to breastfeed, although it has been customary to remain in 
the childcare area, supervising the children.This new policy is supposed 
to be an incentive to leave the childcare area--and public view--while 
they breastfeed.In this situation, the employees can perform their job 
duties and breastfeed simultaneously, and break time for this is not 
even necessary.

The California law explicitly states that employers MUST give employees 
standard break time to express milk or nurse, and can only ask them to 
clock out (if the employer wishes to do so, and most do not) if the 
desired nursing or breastpumping time EXCEEDS the standard break time. I 
do not know of any other employers who are invoking their right to clock 
out their employees for additional break time, as most employers realize 
that supporting breastfeeding increases employee morale and decreases 
costs to the employer.

Any breastfeeding advocate may wish to _kindly _write to the owners and 
explain why their policies are neither socially acceptable nor in 
anyone's best interest.  I am hoping to get the owners to engage in a 
mutually respectful dialogue to establish public breastfeeding as a 
civil and human right in our town.The two mothers who lost their jobs 
are asking for letters of support, and would like you to know that their 
names are Elsie Lopin and J.Z. Heckathorn.They are interested in getting 
media coverage for this situation in hopes of a _positive_ resolution to 
this situation on behalf of all breastfeeding employees everywhere.

_Please make your letters gentle but absolutely firm._A woman has the 
right to breastfeed wherever she may be.A baby has the right to be 
breastfed wherever he or she may be.This letter could be part of your 
celebration of the current World Breastfeeding Week.This year's WBW 
theme is _Mother Support: Going for the Gold_.

Please direct your letters to:

Courthouse Athletic Club
722 Freeman Lane
Grass Valley CA 95945

Attention: Art and Linda Chappell, Owners
General Manager Jamie Walker
Fax: 530.885.1411
website: www.cacfit.com
(embedded email option on website)

Yours,
Arly Helm, MS, IBCLC

World Breastfeeding Week 2008
Mother Support : Going for the Gold

Breastfeeding results from a reproductive health continuum for the 
mother to the child with no beginning or end, from generation to 
generation. When a practice is disrupted, it must be restored. However, 
restoration of the breastfeeding culture demands more resources and 
mobilization.

In conjunction with the Olympics next August, WBW 2008 calls for greater 
support for mothers in achieving the gold standard of infant feeding: 
breastfeeding exclusively for six months, and providing appropriate 
complementary foods with continued breastfeeding for up to two years or 
beyond.

As every country sends its best athletes to compete at these global 
games, it is important to remind ourselves that, in a similar fashion, a 
healthy young athlete can only emerge from a healthy start on life. 
There is no question that optimal infant and young child feeding is 
essential for optimal growth and development.

/Supporting Mother = Supporting Her to Provide the Golden Start For 
Every Child /!

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