Can work make me travel if I'm EBF?

[phoenix78]

So this is completely hypothetical because my work ha s been really supportive so far, but twice now it has come up, so I thought I'd get some info just in case. My boss (who I have LOTS of issues with) has asked me twice to travel for work since the baby was born 6 months ago (she also asked me 2 weeks before my dd, but that is another story!) My babe is EBF. I occassional pump but she generally rejects bottles and will hold out for mama if she can.

I've explained to boss that in order to travel, she'd have to accompany me as I am her sole source of food and I don't know whether other people in our 2-3 days of meetings with state government would want a baby there the whole time. She seems to "forget" that I'm nusing baby. She has previously asked if I could call in from home and be on speaker phone for the whole meeting (2-3 days, 8 hour days) and I've agreed to do that but told her I couldn't guaranette that others wouldn't hear the baby because she might be eating/crying/being a baby during times I would be expected to talk. So both times has let me bow out of trip and out of the calls. Now, mind you, this is the same boss who "allows" me to work full time from home. She has been incredibly supportive in this sense. And when I need to go in for meetings at our site (like all day tomorrow) no one seems to mind that I bring the baby if I clear it with my colleagues first. I've even nursed in front of some of them without a problem.

I guess I'm just wondering whether there are any laws to protect me from being seperated from baby due to work travel? My boss has a bit of a split personality. She can turn on you on a dime. I'm worried that the next time she "forgets" and asks me to travel, it'll turn into her perceiving me as resistant and she will try to force me to go at some point. The company has just slashed 50% of our staff so all of us that are left are being expected to "do more with less." Thoughts/Experiences/Advice?

Oh, and I'm in NYS. Thanks Mamas!

[2lilsweetfoxes]

I'm sorry. I don't know. At this point, despite my baby being EBF (well, breast-milk-fed--she takes bottles when I'm at work), my work can come up to me and say: Sergeant X, pack your bags. You are going on a little trip to [name your current hotspot--Iraq or Afghanistan] for a year. I'm going to go to a school in a few months for my career progression, which cannot be delayed much longer. It is for a few months. Though my husband and children could technically come, I won't bring them because the older two have school and it would disrupt my son's therapies. I'll likely be weaning the baby before I go to formula.

[Ruthla]

I don't have the NYS laws in front of me, but IIRC, the law guarantees you regular breaks to pump milk during the workday. It does NOT guarantee that you won't be separated from the baby overnight (so long as you have time and a place to pump during the trip.)

If you are sent on a 3 day trip, I'd suggest bringing along another adult to care for the baby during "business hours", so you're free to nurse the baby at lunchtime and at night.

[Ellien C]

I don't know the answer but I've been on all-day speaker phone calls when I didn't travel to some meetings - not fun but I have some suggestions.

Ask work for a headset so you can take the calls from your desk. If they spring for a wireless one (which mine does not) you can even walk around. Put it on mute and you can even pump. I actually like taking those calls from home because I do have a headset and I can walk around - make lunch - do laundry, sit and knit, etc, etc. I'm just listening usually but if I have to talk, it's not a problem.

A phone with a mute button helps a lot, too. These generally aren't that expensive - less than $100 and it will definitely improve your productivity. I used to have to book a conference room to takes these calls - one of the rare ones with a computer, and it was REALLY disruptive to have it all day. The headset was a really good solution. You just can't have a phone to your ear for 8 hours.

[laohaire]

I don't have any suggestions, but just wanted to say that you are part of a force of change - and it IS happening.

I have several times had business conference calls that involved a participant who was at home with a baby. Tolerance obviously must vary, but all the people on the calls I've had were very tolerant. One of such calls was with a Fortune 500 company.

I don't think any laws protect you from being asked to travel, but it appears that your boss has, with reminders, accommodated this. It's true that it would be nicer if she could remember and understand and be more supportive, but it seems like you are being accommodated anyway.

[annekka]

I don't believe there are any laws that would protect you; if travel is required for your job then it is what it is. But I would check with your company's HR department to see if there are any company policies concerning breastfeeding or work/life balance accommodations. I work for a public institution in CA and there is a policy that the institution is supportive of breastfeeding and that supervisors must make reasonable accommodations to support breastfeeding mothers. Depending on the circumstances this might include teleconferencing rather than requiring travel. If there is an official policy, and your supervisor decides not to be accommodating, you can always bring it up with HR.

And in these tight budget times you can always suggest I teleconferencing over the expense of travel as a way of cutting costs. Call it enlightened self interest.

[pumpkin]

I don't think any laws would apply here.
Most people I know that have to travel for work either pump and ship milk, or more often they buy plane tickets with their own money for the baby and either a spouse or a nanny. That is if they just can't avoid the trip.

I wanted to add that I work extremely part-time from home with understanding that I will not have child care. My DH helps with the occasional conference call. I've had to turn down projects that would require large blocks of phone time. That is something I can get away with because am technically a consultant. Its the reason I won't actually agree to becoming a regular part-time employee yet, because then I would lose that flexibility. But we are incredibly lucky that I'm just working to keep up business contacts right now and we aren't relying on the income.

[MamaChicken]

Just for perspective from the boss' point of view, I have several employees (male and female) who have babies. All the women breastfeed and most pump. We frequently need people to go out of town, sometime for the day, sometimes for a whole summer (coming home on weekends). I always accomodate the employee's need to provide care for their children, whether pumping or needing to be in town to pick up from daycare.

Some of the employee's ability to get promotions includes getting the experience that they get out of town. So, I always ask my employees if they are available. I don't always remember how old baby is, and I don't know whether they are still nursing or not. Occasionally I have been surprised that someone wants to go out of town, only to find out that they have made arrangements for their partner or nanny to accompany them. If I assumed they were not able to go, I would be denying them opportunities unfairly.

Just another perspective.

[Ellien C]

Originally Posted by MamaChicken

If I assumed they were not able to go, I would be denying them opportunities unfairly.

You are an awesome boss!

[34me]

I know right now if I said no, I wouldn't have a job....

[phoenix78]

Thanks for the info...I didn't think they're were any laws but I just wanted to double check. I know I should feel lucky "in this economy" to have a job that is supportive (most of the time) of working from home to care for my child but I really do wish there was more push to change work/home flexibility as a whole. Gotta keep pushing those legislators for more family-friendly policies I guess! In the meantime, I'm hoping to get through one more year at home and then DP will hopefully be in a better job situation, which would give me the flexibility to consider being a part-time employee. I appreciated the tips (oh, trust me, I know how those 8 hour conf calls on speaker phone go - I do need to get myself a headset though!). Keep on keeping on working mamas!