A dispute at a Starbucks on Berlin-Cross Keys Road has drawn attention to workplace protections for new mothers, after a barista claims she was discouraged from taking breaks to express breast milk during her shift.
The barista’s name has been withheld due to privacy concerns. The employee, who recently returned to work following the birth of her child, said she requested short breaks to pump but was told it would disrupt store operations. She described the experience as humiliating and stressful, adding that she felt forced to choose between her role as a mother and her job.
“I wasn’t asking for anything unreasonable,” she explained. “I just needed a few minutes to take care of my baby’s needs.”
She was placed behind a “trifold privacy screen with cloth walls” in a back room, next to sinks, products, and storage accessible to other employees.
The New Jersey Division on Civil Rights (DCR) recently issued a finding of probable cause that Starbucks violated the state’s anti-discrimination laws by failing to reasonably accommodate her request.
Federal labor laws, strengthened by the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act, require employers to provide reasonable break time and a private, non-bathroom space for employees to express breast milk during the first year after childbirth. New Jersey law reinforces these rights, ensuring breastfeeding workers cannot be penalized for needing such accommodations, according to DCR.
Attorney General Matthew Platkin weighed in, calling the protections for nursing employees “among the strongest in the country.” He stated, “No working parent should ever have to choose between their shift and feeding their child.”
Advocates say this incident underscores the challenges many working mothers face, especially in customer-facing jobs where breaks can be difficult to manage.
“The law is clear, but implementation often isn’t,” said one workplace rights supporter. “Mothers shouldn’t have to feel like their needs are a burden.”
Starbucks, in a statement, said the company is committed to supporting breastfeeding employees and is reviewing what happened at the Sicklerville location.
“We take these concerns seriously and are working directly with the partner (employee) to ensure her needs are met,” the company stated.
The barista said she hopes speaking out will lead to better awareness and training so other mothers don’t face the same struggles.
“I just want to work and know that I can also take care of my baby,” she said.
