A service of Salisbury University and University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Federal Judge Overturns $1.5 Million Verdict in Breast Pump Case

creative commons
/
creative commons

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - A federal judge has overturned a jury verdict awarding $1.5 million to a Delaware fast food worker who claimed she was mistreated because she wanted to pump her breast milk.

The judge on Tuesday granted a Kentucky Fried Chicken franchisee's request for judgment in its favor on Autumn Lampkins' hostile work environment claims. The judge said the jury's findings on those claims were "unreasonable."

The judge also ordered a new trial on Lampkins' claims that her demotion and the reduction of her work hours because she was lactating amounted to sexual discrimination.

Lampkins alleged, among other things, that she struggled with a lack of privacy. She also said co-workers complained about the breaks she was allowed to take to pump breast milk while they had to continue working.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.