We, the undersigned, believe that the Donnicia Venters' civil rights were violated when she was fired by a Texas company for trying to discuss breastfeeding issues.
We know there are other reports indicating that this is not an isolated incident. Judge Lynn Hughes' ruling, siding with the employer over the rights of a nursing mother, is further evidence that there is a serious problem of discrimination in the US over maternity and breastfeeding rights.
With the huge volume of evidence available, it seems unnecessary to enumerate here the enormous health benefits for mother and child associated with breastfeeding - especially when so many other countries besides the US seem to get it, as well getting the importance of supporting new parents with
paid work leaves.
Latest reports show that the US is one of only three countries that offer no legal guarantee of paid maternity leave. The two others are Papua, New Guinea and Swaziland. Janet Walsh at Human Rights Watch says "Countries that have these programs show productivity gains, reduced turnover costs, and health care savings."
She adds that the US really cannot afford
not guarantee paid family maternity leave.
If, like 100 other countries, the US would allow 14 weeks of paid maternity leave, employers would have fewer breastfeeding situations to accommodate. But until the US catches up with the progress of most other countries in the world and provides adequate paid leave for new parents, the least it can do is not discriminate against mothers who are trying to give their babies a good head-start on lifelong health.
We request that the Department of Justice look into Ms. Venters' case and take serious steps to protect all nursing mothers from discrimination.
