We know that adhering to your pumping schedule at work is tough, but trying to maintain a pumping schedule while on jury duty? What a nightmare! Imagine spending hours on end in a jury box while feeling increasingly swollen and/or leaky, or not having access to proper facilities – no thanks!
Fortunately, states are catching on to this dilemma and have rolled out options that provide alternative solutions for nursing moms. As of 2019, at least seventeen states, along with Puerto Rico, have passed laws addressing breastfeeding moms who are called to jury duty. Some states allow for postponements of up to a year, while others include the right to exemption. Be sure to check your state-specific laws because, like with all rules, there are always exceptions. For example, some states stipulate that if you are nursing but are regularly employed outside your home, you will not be exempt from jury duty.
If you are nursing and receive a jury duty summons, don’t sweat it just yet. Check out your state’s laws and then contact the court directly to see how they can help you either postpone, cancel or complete your civic duty.
As more and more states push to adopt similar legislative actions, we will continue to be a resource to help you find resolutions to overcome this and other issues that so many nursing moms face.