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Twelve states have laws on the books that exempt breastfeeding moms from jury duty -- and most recently, Florida legislators have proposed a similar bill.
The legislators acted after a breastfeeding mom complained that she couldn't get out of serving on a jury, but was then berated by her fellow jurors when she brought her baby with her to trial.
The law would exempt moms who are nursing kids up to the age of two.
I don't know about you, but all my friends do their darndest to get rejected because it interferes too much with work or life. I wonder if many women of younger kids who aren't breastfeeding will say they are just to get out of serving.
On face value the law seems to make sense, but what do you think about it? And should lawmakers impose an age limit, since many moms continue to breastfeed past the child's second birthday?
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Comments (16)
I think it makes perfect sense. At the age of 2 a child should be on enough solids to be able to have mom pump if necessary and baby would not be at risk of mom losing much of a supply or baby not getting enough nutrition. Will moms try to lie and say they breastfeed? Of course. Does it make it right? No, but people break all kinds of rules. Just because someone will murder does it mean we should take away all of our laws protecting us from being murdered and punishing murderers? NO!
Considering I'm a mom nursing twins, I think its great. And if some mom lies about it, I'm sure she is no different than the gazillion other who are lying about other things to try and get out of it. Doesn't make it right. Just saying.
Two is the recommended minimum by all major health organizations, so really, it's logical. At one, there are breastfed babies who are still just barely on solids and just learning to use a cup. At two, they can deal with Mommy being gone much easier.
Up to age two sounds reasonable to me. I do not think a woman should be called to jury duty and expected to stop nursing her baby or need to pump during the day. Besides, to be away from a baby all day long during jury duty is not necessarily a good thing either.
I think it is highly unlikely that many moms will breastfeed just to get out of jury duty! Maybe some moms will lie and say that they are breastfeeding, but....I don't consider that a huge problem though. Breastfeeding or not, a mother of a child under the age of two should not be required to do jury duty.
Sounds reasonable to me. I actually like jury duty and would not try to get out of it unless I had a really good reason. I think nursing a child is a good enough reason.
I had to serve jury duty for the first time when I was nursing my daughter. I already had a pump because I was working so I thought it was no big deal. However, they gave me no place that I could go to pump and so I would have to go to my car. I did not have enough time in between our breaks to make it all the way down to my car and my milk supply was never the same after that. I wish I had to do it all over again, I would find a way out of it.
I JUST got a jury summons too! I'm also breastfeeding.
I already know for sure I'll have to reschedule it but I wonder what NC law says about it. Hmm...
Breastfeeding or not, a mother of a child under the age of two should not be required to do jury duty.
Southernroots Oct. 10, 2009 at 2:11 PM
I agree w/ this statement. A child under two should not be away from their mother for that long if the trial goes on for a few days.
I live in California and recently got a summons, and on the form you return in the mail, it lists breastfeeding as an exemption. It says that you can postpone your service for up to a year. :)
Breastfeeding or not, a mother of a child under the age of two should not be required to do jury duty.
Southernroots Oct. 10, 2009 at 2:11 PM
I also agree with that statement! Very good point!