AIR PUMP Act

Bill: 118-s-1722
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2023-05-18
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Aviation and airports

Child health

Civil actions and liability

Employment discrimination and employee rights

Nutrition and diet

Transportation employees

Women's health
Latest action: action_date: 2023-05-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-05-18
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>AIR PUMP Act</strong></p><p>This bill gives an air carrier crewmember the right to break time and a private space to express breast milk at work. Exceptions to this right apply during a critical phase of flight, if it impacts the safety of an aircraft, or if it would impose a significant expense. An employer may not discriminate or retaliate against an employee who testifies in a proceeding or files a complaint related to this bill. The bill provides for enforcement by the Department of Labor or in a private lawsuit. The Federal Aviation Administration must issue regulations.</p><!--tinycomments|2.1|data:application/json;base64,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-->

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1722 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 18, 2023 Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mrs. Murray , Mr. Fetterman , Mr. Booker , Mr. Blumenthal , and Mrs. Gillibrand ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To expand access to breastfeeding accommodations in the workplace for certain employees of air carrier employers.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the AIR PUMP Act . 2. Definitions For purposes of this Act: (1) Air carrier The term air carrier has the meaning given such term in section 40102 of title 49, United States Code. (2) Air carrier employer The term air carrier employer means an air carrier that is an employer. (3) Crewmember The term crewmember has the meaning given such term in section 1.1 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations). (4) Critical phases of flight The term critical phases of flight has the meaning given such term in 121.542 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations). (5) Employee; employer The terms employee and employer have the meanings given such terms in section 3 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 ( 29 U.S.C. 203 ). 3. Breastfeeding accommodations in the workplace for certain employees of air carrier employers (a) In general An air carrier employer that, as described in subsection (b), is subject to the requirements of this section with respect to an employee who is a crewmember shall provide— (1) a reasonable break time for such an employee to express breast milk for such employee’s nursing child for 1 year after the child’s birth each time such employee has need to express the milk; and (2) 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 such an employee to express breast milk. (b) Applicability An air carrier employer shall be subject to the requirements of this section with respect to an employee who is a crewmember provided that (as defined and delimited by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration through regulations issued under section 5)— (1) in providing a break described in subsection (a)(1) to such an employee, an air carrier employer shall not be required to provide such break during critical phases of flight; and (2) compliance with the requirements of this section does not— (A) impact the safety or security of flight or the operation of an aircraft in flight or on the ground; or (B) require the air carrier employer to incur significant expense, such as through the addition of a crewmember in response to providing a break described in subsection (a)(1) to another crewmember, removal or retrofitting of seats, or the modification or retrofitting of an aircraft. (c) Significant expense For purposes of subsection (b)(2)(B), modifying or retrofitting an aircraft by installing a curtain or other screening protection shall not be considered a significant expense. 4. Anti-retaliation It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge or in any other manner discriminate against any employee who is a crewmember because such employee has— (1) filed any complaint or instituted or caused to be instituted any proceeding under or related to this Act or, as described in subsections (a) and (b) of section 6, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 ( 29 U.S.C. 201 et seq. ); or (2) testified or is about to testify in any such proceeding. 5. Rulemaking Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall issue regulations, as appropriate, to define and delimit the terms and conditions under section 3 for all crewmember time onboard an aircraft. 6. Remedies (a) Enforcement by the Secretary (1) In general The Secretary of Labor shall receive, investigate, and attempt to resolve complaints of violations of sections 3 and 4 in the same manner that the Secretary of Labor receives, investigates, and attempts to resolve complaints of violations of sections 18D and 15(a)(3) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 ( 29 U.S.C. 218d ; 215(a)(3)), respectively. (2) Violations (A) Section 3 An air carrier employer that violates section 3 shall— (i) be considered to be in violation of section 18D of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 ( 29 U.S.C. 218d ); and (ii) be subject to the penalties described in sections 16 and 17 of such Act ( 29 U.S.C. 216 ; 217) with respect to such violation. (B) Section 4 An air carrier employer that violates section 4 shall— (i) be considered to be in violation of section 15(a)(3) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 ( 29 U.S.C. 215(a)(3) ); and (ii) be subject to the penalties described in sections 16 and 17 of such Act ( 29 U.S.C. 216 ; 217) with respect to such violation. (b) Private right of action An action alleging a violation of section 3 or 4 may be maintained against an air carrier employer in any Federal or State court of competent jurisdiction by an employee who is a crewmember or a representative of such employee for and on behalf of the employee, or the employee and others similarly situated, in the same manner, and subject to the same remedies (including attorney's fees and costs of the action), as an action brought under section 16 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 ( 29 U.S.C. 216 ) by an employee alleging a violation of section 18D or 15(a)(3) of such Act ( 29 U.S.C. 218d ; 215(a)(3)), respectively. 7. Effective date This Act shall take effect on the date that is 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act.