What: Hundreds of female Customs and Border Protection employees filed suit against the agency, saying they were discriminated against once they announced they were pregnant. “No matter the physical demands of their jobs, many were transferred to another post, typically centered on administrative or secretarial work and usually unrelated to what skills they had developed in their existing roles. The policy, they say, hurt their opportunities for advancement, and others add that they weathered pay cuts because light duty meant no more overtime.”

Why it matters: If pregnant employees can’t get the federal government to not discriminate against pregnancy, who can? CPB agreed to settle the case for $45 million, and it “requires C.B.P. to draft a new policy for pregnant women, and lawyers representing the women will monitor the agency’s compliance for three years. C.B.P. will also be required to train all managers and supervisors about the rights of pregnant employees.”

Source: New York Times