Stop Discrimination Against Breastfeeding Employees

Entering a prison, whether as an employee, inmate or visitor, should not require anyone to shed their dignity and fundamental rights. All breastfeeding employees at Virginia state prisons should be allowed to bring breast pumps into the prisons and provided adequate breaks and space to pump breast milk as needed.

According to a recent New York Times report, employees at Deerfield Correctional Center have had to breastfeed in their cars, smuggle breast pumps into the facility or pump in dirty public restrooms. This report is the latest in a series of documented incidents demonstrating that the Virginia Department of Corrections (VDOC) does not adequately meet, or even consider, the needs of its female inmates, employees and visitors.

Supporting nursing employees by providing reasonable accommodations for pumping breast milk at work is critical to ensure all parents have access to the workforce. As the Governor and the Commonwealth’s Chief Personnel Officer, we ask you to direct the head of the VDOC (and all other state agencies) to adopt policies and practices supporting breastfeeding employees, as required by state policy and federal law. Specifically, we ask you to direct the VDOC to ensure that Virginia state prisons have policies and practices that allow employees to bring breast pumps into the prisons and that they provide adequate breaks and space for employees to pump breast milk as needed.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.