Mom: "I Was Discriminated Against For Pumping Breast Milk At Work"
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GRAPEVINE (CBSDFW.COM) - A North Texas mom claims she was discriminated against for pumping breast milk at work. The woman says her legally protected milk pumping lead to her being ridiculed by fellow employees and eventually fired.
Jessica Rector says it all happened at a North Texas Bob's Steak and Chop House location.
While management wouldn't talk to CBS 11 News, Rector has a lot to say. She is now filing a lawsuit that she is hoping will send a message to businesses and all new moms.
Rector, a single mother, said that after giving birth to her son Bliase her main concern was providing for the newborn. Rector said she never thought pumping breast milk at work would be an issue.
"I felt bullied in way that, never even in my wildest dreams would I have imagined being treated like that."
The new mother said things got ugly after returning to her server job at Bob's Steak and Chop House in Grapevine.
She said there were all kinds of harassment. "It was name calling, crude comments, hand gestures."
Rector also claims she was forced to pump in an "unhygienic" bathroom. After complaining to management, she says she was given fewer tables to wait on and then was then fired after someone complained about her on Yelp, a business review website.
"What was the big deal?" Rector asked of her actions. "You do something that you think is in the best interest of your family and you have to endure being harassed at work."
Rector is now filing a sex-discrimination lawsuit.
Attorney Jason Smith represents Rector. "Twenty, thirty years ago, this lawsuit would not even have been thought of," he said.
Smith explained again that his client has a right to pump breast milk at work by law. "This is a mom trying to make sure that women who are trying to be good moms are treated fairly in the workplace. She's not going to get rich off of this lawsuit, but hopefully she makes it fair for the next mom who tries to breast feed her kids."
Rector says if she didn't speak up, "The same thing would happen. The same thing would keep going on and on."
CBS 11 did reach out to Bob's Steak and Chop House, both over the phone and in person, and were told they had no comment.
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