I work for part time in a retail store that’s part of a very large nationwide corporation. It’s a really common store, there’s like 7 within 30 minutes of my home. I’m a new mom and I breastfeed my child because he’s only 4 months and won’t take formula. I just started this job a little over a month ago, but when I started I asked if there was a room I could use to pump. The store’s HR rep told me we have no such room and I could pump in the handicap stall in the women’s bathroom. I wasn’t thrilled about it but I have to do what I have to do so that’s where I’ve been going. But now some of my female coworkers have realized that that’s what I’m doing in there and are absolutely outraged. Talking about all sorts of discrimination and unsanitary and undignified and unlawful and I sort of agree but I don’t like to make a stink about things. They say that I should be allowed to borrow someone’s office but I don’t like to remove people from their private space and the work they have to do.

I’m tempted to contact the corporate HR to request that a mother’s room be added to the store but I don’t know that they would do that for just one mom, and I don’t want to get in trouble for “going over someone’s head.” I’m just not really comfortable talking to my male store manager or my male head cashier or male operations manager about it. Not that I haven’t, because pumping requires an extended break, but it’s been uncomfortable for me. Frankly I don’t really like talking about it to many of my female coworkers either because most of them have not had children and many of them are grossed out by that.

I just don’t know what to do, or what my legal rights are. Does anyone have any legal knowledge or just social advice? I’m in GA, USA if that helps