The Commission for Equality in Labor and Employment (CITE) reported receiving a complaint this year related to the violation of breastfeeding leave rights, made by a woman, while no reports were filed by employers against workers abusing these rights, according to CITE President Carla Tavares.
Despite this, unions continue to receive reports from across the country, particularly in female-dominated sectors such as healthcare, restaurants, retail, and industry.
“We have seen several instances of limitations and even extreme situations,” said Fátima Messias, coordinator for the Commission on Equality between Women and Men at CGTP-IN. She highlighted an “extreme situation” where “employers required women to express milk to prove they were still nursing their children.”
The commission lacks specific data on complaints or reports, but the coordinator asserts that “the right to breastfeeding or feeding continues to be heavily targeted by employers,” leading many women to forego this legally protected right.
“Instances of workplace harassment cause limitations, intimidation, and self-restriction among many female workers,” Messias warned, pointing to the mindset of those managing teams: “When maximizing the few available staff, essential rights for children and mothers are disregarded,” she accused.
Last month, the government proposed a revision to the Labor Law, suggesting work hours limit for breastfeeding up to a child’s second birthday. The proposal faced significant opposition from various organizations, as did comments from the labor minister, who claimed without evidence that some women exploit the law to avoid work.
“The comments were so insensitive and inhumane, revealing these officials’ true thoughts,” Messias criticized. “Such baseless claims unjustly cast doubt on mothers with young children.”
Messias noted that most other European countries offer families better conditions to balance work and family life and have more effective labor law enforcement mechanisms.
In Portugal, “there is a lack of oversight to prevent employer abuses and very few instances of punitive actions,” she lamented.
Lusa inquired the Authority for Working Conditions (ACT) about complaints, reports, and sanctions but had yet to receive a response.
Messias believes existing maternity and paternity legislation is “positive” and sees no reason for change.
“The rights of mothers to breastfeeding and fathers to feeding are clearly defined in our legislation. The issue is violations. Why does the government target mothers and children instead of addressing employer violations and restrictions? It’s inhumane, absurd, Machiavellian. Violations occur, women face pressure, pregnant workers are fired, but instead of confronting violators, pregnant women and children are targeted,” she emphasized.
From 2021 to 2024, CITE received no complaints, with only two reports from women in 2020. Employers filed no abuse complaints during this period, Tavares noted.
