On March 23, Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed a bill that prohibits discrimination against employees who breastfeed at work. The bill modified the Utah Antidiscrimination Act to make clear that discrimination based on “pregnancy, childbirth, or pregnancy-related conditions” also includes breastfeeding or medical conditions related to breastfeeding. According to the bill’s sponsor, the measure was intended to provide clarification in the face of conflicting judicial opinions, some of which have held that breastfeeding is already protected by pregnancy discrimination laws, and some of which have held to the contrary.
The law will take effect on May 12.