South Carolina

South Carolina is a breastfeeding-positive state thanks to state laws that provide workplace lactation protections. In addition to the federal FLSA’s PUMP Act that provides workplace lactation accommodation protections for all breastfeeding employees, South Carolina’s laws provide an additional level of support.

We’ve awarded South Carolina 2 drops on our scale.

SC Breastfeeding Laws: In Public

State legislation protects a mother’s right to breastfeed in public. Read the law: S.C. Code Ann. § 63-5-40 (2005)

SC Breastfeeding Laws: At Work

All breastfeeding employees are protected by the federal FLSA’s PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act and entitled to reasonable break time and a private space (other than a bathroom) to pump at work for one year. But South Carolina also has a workplace lactation accommodation law. The South Carolina Pregnancy Accommodations Act mandates that employers with 15 or more employees must ensure their workplaces provide “reasonable accommodations'' to employees with “medical needs arising from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions,” including lactation. Read the laws: HB 3865 and H. 3200

SC Breastfeeding Information + Resources

Breastfeeding mothers in South Carolina are exempt from indecent exposure laws.

The South Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition “promotes, protects and supports the art and science of human milk feeding as the superior form of nutrition and nurture for infants and young children.” Visit here.

Visit U.S. Breastfeeding Committee for a full list of state breastfeeding coalitions.

Breastfeeding Law Rating Key

One drop: There is no state-level workplace lactation legislation beyond the PUMP Act.

Two drops: State law exceeds the PUMP Act in one of the following ways: 1) Lower threshold for employer exemption; 2) Workplace protections beyond one year; 3) Requirements for lactation spaces (e.g. electrical outlets); 4) Protections for specific populations other than employees (e.g. students).

Three drops: State law exceeds the PUMP Act in at least two of the following ways: 1) Lower threshold for employer exemption; 2) workplace protections beyond one year; 3) requirements for lactation spaces (e.g. electrical outlets); 4) protections for specific populations other than employees (e.g. students).

Disclaimer: Please consult a professional for legal advice. Our information on breastfeeding laws is not a substitute for legal counsel.