"Odd Things" Part 1

The historic bill has passed. I've been perusing it (H.R. 3590, search for the bill online here) and looking for random things that made their way into the bill. Here is part 1 of "Odd Things That Made the Cut As Healthcare Reform:"

SEC. 4207. REASONABLE BREAK TIME FOR NURSING MOTHERS.

Section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 207) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(r)(1) An employer shall provide--

`(A) a reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for 1 year after the child's birth each time such employee has need to express the milk; and

`(B) a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk.

First of all, if you breastfeed more than a year, you're screwed. Also, I can see some unscrupulous business owners sticking women into closets and the lawsuits rolling in claiming this misses the spirit of the law when it says a place "other than a bathroom."

I'm glad this provision made the cut. The current bill just wouldn't be the same without it.