Calling on the RI Bar to Accommodate Breastfeeding Women
Taking
the bar examination in Rhode Island this February? If you are a lactating woman, don’t expect to receive any
special treatment from the RI Bar. As the results of a survey (https://www.aclu.org/map/breastfeeding-policies-during-bar-exam-state)
conducted by the ACLU and Law
Students for Reproductive Justice, Rhode Island rates a D- for it efforts in accommodating women who are
breastfeeding during the time that the bar exam is offered.
The
ACLU notes that the “report card findings highlight the widespread
barriers that women face in pursuit of their legal careers. State boards must
acknowledge that their outdated policies contribute to this problem and must
take an active role in eliminating these barriers. Women should not be forced
to make a decision between their families and their careers.”
The
League of Women Voters of Rhode Island, ACLU of Rhode Island, Planned Parenthood of Southern New
England, Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, Rhode Island NOW, and Rhode Island
Women’s Bar Association sent a letter to David Wollin, Chair of the Rhode
Island Board of Bar Examiners, on November 16, noting that every other New
England state does make appropriate accommodations, and “we strongly believe there
is no reason for this to be delayed any longer. We therefore request the Board
to take up this matter expeditiously and adopt a policy designed to
meaningfully accommodate breastfeeding applicants in time for the next Bar
exam.”
The
full text of the letter sent to David Wollin of the RI Board of Bar Examiners appears below.
Letter
to David A. Wollin
November
16, 2015
BY
EMAIL AND MAIL
David
A. Wollin, Esquire, Chair
Rhode
Island Board of Bar Examiners
Licht
Judicial Complex
250
Benefit St. Providence, RI 02903
Dear
Chair Wollin:
We
write as a follow-up to our letters dated July 20, August 4, and October 1,
2015, and your latest letter of October 21, regarding accommodations for
candidates who are nursing during the bar exam.
Your
most recent letter to us advised that the Board was “was continuing to review
and consider its policies concerning breastfeeding by bar examinees” and that
we would be provided a substantive response “once the consideration of the
matter by the Board and the Court is completed.”
We
certainly appreciate the Board’s desire to carefully consider this issue and
“get it right.” However, we note that December 1st is the cut-off date for
applying to sit for the next Bar examination (taking place in February), and is
also the cut-off date for any person needing special accommodations under the
ADA to seek them. We assume the same deadline would be in place for other
requested accommodations. Even if there is only a slim possibility that an
applicant needing breastfeeding accommodations will be applying for the upcoming
exam, we believe it is critical that this issue be addressed before another
exam period goes by.
In
calling for prompt action at this point, we note that it has been over three
months since this issue was first raised with the Board. In addition, while
they may vary in the details, every other state in New England has some type of
breastfeeding accommodation policy in place. As we have previously noted, many
other states across the country also have strong policies to accommodate
breastfeeding women, and we have provided the Board with ready-made model
language to consider.
Under
the circumstances, we strongly believe there is no reason for this to be
delayed any longer. We therefore request the Board to take up this matter
expeditiously and adopt a policy designed to meaningfully accommodate
breastfeeding applicants in time for the next Bar exam.
We
thank you again for your consideration of this matter, and are hopeful for a
positive response. We remain available to talk in more detail about this with
you and members of the Board. In light of the time constraints referenced here,
we look forward to hearing back from you soon.
Sincerely,
Steven Brown,
Executive Director
American Civil
Liberties Union of Rhode Island
128 Dorrance Street,
Suite 220 – Providence, RI 02903 sbrown@riaclu.org
Jane W. Koster,
President
League of Women
Voters of Rhode Island
172 Taunton Avenue,
Suite 8 - East Providence, RI 02914 state@lwvri.org
Susan Yolen, Vice
President for Policy and Advocacy
Planned Parenthood of
Southern New England
111 Point Street –
Providence, RI 02903
Jenn Steinfeld,
Executive Director
Women’s Fund of Rhode
Island
One Union Station -
Providence, Rhode Island 02903 jsteinfeld@wfri.org
Shandi Hanna,
President
Rhode Island NOW
PO Box 8413 -
Warwick, RI 02888 shanna@rinow.org
Board Members
Rhode Island Women’s
Bar Association
10 Weybosset Street,
#800 - Providence, RI 02903
riwomensbar@gmail.com
cc: Nancy
Mahoney
Galen
Sherwin, ACLU Women’s Rights Project
