Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has agreed to a $45 million settlement in a class action lawsuit led by Roberta Gabaldon, a former agriculture specialist, accusing the agency of discrimination against pregnant employees. Gabaldon, along with nearly 1,000 other women, claimed that CBP's policy of reassigning pregnant workers to less challenging administrative roles violated federal laws, including the Pregnancy Discrimination Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

Gabaldon, who was reassigned after revealing her pregnancy in 2015, argued that the change contradicted both her and her doctor’s assessments of her capabilities. The lawsuit alleged that CBP’s actions unfairly limited the roles of pregnant employees, regardless of their ability to continue performing their duties.

As part of the settlement, CBP will revise its policies, including implementing new procedures and mandatory training for managers to ensure pregnancy rights are respected. The settlement also includes three years of monitoring by the plaintiffs’ legal team to ensure compliance. Although CBP has not admitted to any wrongdoing, the agency's spokeswoman highlighted the ongoing efforts in training and policy reviews to prevent future incidents.

This settlement marks a significant victory for workers’ rights, particularly in addressing discrimination against pregnant employees in federal agencies.