In a pointed opinion, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that firing a woman because she wants to use a breast pump at work violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
According to the 5th Circuit’s May 30 decision in Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Houston Funding II Ltd, et al., Donnecia Venters, a collector for Houston Funding, took maternity leave in 2008. When Venters discussed her return date with company vice president Harry Cagle, she told him she wanted to use a breast pump at work. Cagle allegedly then told her that her position had been filled and she had been terminated.
