New mom loses her job over breastfeeding
Ariana Gossard of Browns Mills says she lost her job because she wanted to breastfeed her newborn.
Gossard worked as a front desk clerk, answering phones, for the Hampton Inn in Bordentown.
The issue that caused her to lose her job was her need to take breaks to pump breast milk for her 3-month-old daughter.
The plan was that she would give birth in May and return to her job in August.
After giving birth, she contacted her employers in July and requested to take breaks when she got back to work within the next month or so.
“I’m willing to work whatever they gave me, I just need breaks. They asked me why I needed the breaks, and I told them I need breaks to express breast milk because I’m exclusively breastfeeding and I need to pump in order to have milk for my daughter and they told me they couldn’t do that for me at my position,” Gossard explained.
But, the manager of the hotel said that it wouldn't be possible because he would have to hire someone to cover for her.
However, He suggested a housekeeping position might be more suitable for her.
But then she quickly learned there were no positions available.
Now, the single mother is unemployed and looking for work.