Employer given warning on breastfeeding rights

The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has warned that employers who fail to provide facilities for women who are breastfeeding could be breaking the law.

Following a recent government recommendation that women should breastfeed for the first six months of their child's life, EOC chair Julie Mellor said it was even more important for employers to understand their legal responsibilities.

She said: "Many women who choose to continue breastfeeding face problems at work because of a lack of flexibility from their employers. In some cases women have even been forced to resign or have been dismissed. This is an appalling situation for any new parent to find themselves in."

Two recent cases support the EOC's argument that employers could be in breach of the law by failing to provide facilities for breastfeeding women. Last year an employment tribunal ruled that Helen Williams, a flight lieutenant in the Royal Air Force, was discriminated against on grounds of her sex when she was forced to make a choice between breastfeeding or resigning - and chose to resign.

In another case, also supported by the EOC, Carrie Palmer was forced to resign her post as a senior marker with the Assessment and Qualification Association when it said she could not attend training sessions with her baby during the period when she was breastfeeding. Her case was settled out of court for £10,000.