A New York City-based employee of the Girl Scouts of the USA has filed a lawsuit against the organization and her supervisor, alleging that she was bullied out of her job after announcing her pregnancy. Munirah Samuel, 33, began her role as a customer experience analyst in November 2025 and continues to be employed there. According to the lawsuit filed on August 25 in Manhattan Supreme Court, Samuel received positive feedback from her supervisor, Catherine Contrera, until her pregnancy announcement in February 2026. Contrera reportedly expressed excitement about the news and stated her desire for Samuel to return after maternity leave.
However, during a midyear review in April, Contrera allegedly expressed dissatisfaction with Samuel's performance for the first time, despite no prior indications of concern. The lawsuit claims that Contrera accused Samuel of falling behind, even though Samuel's performance metrics indicated that she was resolving customer service cases within 20 to 30 minutes, significantly faster than the allotted six hours.
Samuel alleges that Contrera's behavior changed after her pregnancy announcement, claiming that the supervisor began to scrutinize her work and criticized her for using previously approved methods. In June, Contrera reportedly inquired about Samuel's maternity leave plans, to which Samuel responded that she intended to take leave in the second week of August. Shortly after, Samuel received a vague final warning regarding her performance.
Samuel raised her concerns with Erica Hybarger, a senior director at GSUSA, who acknowledged that Contrera's criticisms were excessive and agreed that the claims of underperformance were unfounded. Hybarger allegedly suggested that it would not be surprising if Samuel were terminated. Samuel's attorney, John Scola, stated that the sudden change in feedback coincided with the notification of her pregnancy. Samuel is seeking unspecified monetary damages in her lawsuit. Requests for comment from Contrera, Hybarger, and GSUSA have not been returned.