Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights (DCR) have announced a Finding of Probable Cause against Starbucks Coffee Company, alleging that the company failed to provide reasonable accommodations for an employee at its Sicklerville location to express milk at work. The case stems from a complaint filed by a barista who said she was not given adequate privacy for pumping breastmilk after returning from parental leave.
According to DCR’s findings, the barista requested a private space to pump breastmilk during her shift. Instead, the store manager offered a trifold privacy screen placed in a busy back room near sinks and storage areas used by other employees. The barista reported difficulties expressing milk due to concerns about privacy and the stability of the screen, which co-workers sometimes bumped into while working.
When she raised these concerns, management gave her two options: use the provided screen or extend her leave of absence. Unable to secure suitable accommodations, she took unpaid leave for nearly two additional months beyond what she had planned.
Attorney General Platkin stated, “Our civil rights laws provide some of the country’s strongest workplace protections for breastfeeding and lactating employees. These protections are essential because no working parent should ever have to choose between working their shift and feeding their child. Violating the law in this context is illegal, and it too often has the deeply damaging effect of pushing new mothers out of the workforce. The enforcement action announced today underscores our ongoing commitment to protecting working parents from discrimination and puts employers on notice: if you violate our laws, we will hold you accountable.”
Yolanda N. Melville, Director of DCR, added, “New Jersey’s powerful civil rights laws offer protections to workers who need to express milk during the workday. We’re committed to fighting for the rights of postpartum employees who need accommodations to return to work while maintaining their milk supply so that they are not forced by their employer to endure unacceptable conditions in order to feed their baby.”
The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD), as amended by the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, requires employers in New Jersey to grant reasonable accommodations related to pregnancy and lactation unless such measures would cause undue hardship for business operations. This includes providing break time each day for expressing milk and access to a private space—other than a toilet stall—close to an employee’s work area.
Employers must also engage in good faith with employees seeking such accommodations through an interactive process aimed at finding solutions that address both parties’ needs without causing undue difficulty for business operations.
A Finding of Probable Cause means DCR has found sufficient evidence suggesting that Starbucks may have violated state law but does not represent a final decision on the matter. The next steps involve conciliation efforts between parties; if those fail, DCR will appoint legal counsel for further proceedings either before an administrative judge or in court.
This action is part of ongoing efforts by Attorney General Platkin and DCR against gender- and pregnancy-related discrimination. The division provides public guidance on workplace rights concerning pregnancy and lactation through resources available on its website.
The Division on Civil Rights enforces several anti-discrimination statutes within New Jersey—including those related to employment—and works toward eliminating bias-based harassment throughout the state.
