Breastfeeding rights to apply to employees as well as customers

An employment specialist with Tayside solicitor firm Miller Hendry has said companies who allow customers to breastfeed in public should extend the same rights to their employees.

Alan Matthew, employment specialist with Miller Hendry, made the remarks following a high-profile case where easyJet was found to have discriminated against cabin crew members who were denied the right to breastfeed despite this being recognised as a right of passengers.

The airline rejected requests from cabin crew to vary their duties in such a way as to enable them to express breastmilk so that they could continue breastfeeding after their return to work after maternity leave.

easyJet offered two members of its cabin crew six months of ground duties while they were breastfeeding. easyJet’s argument was that continuing to breastfeed longer than six months was the employees’ own choice. easyJet also failed to respond to a request to limit the length of shifts the mothers were to work from 12 hours to 8 hours.

An employment tribunal ruling found that easyJet’s suggested solution amounted to discrimination. Unite’s legal officer, Nicky Marcus, said the ruling had “wider implications for all working women”.

Mr Matthew said: “It’s usually breastfeeding customers who make the headlines, with retailers and other service providers touting their openness to women breastfeeding, or being called out for not allowing it.

“But this case shows that employees are just as important when it comes to the rights of working mothers. This ruling is a lesson for all employers and how they treat their female employees.”