When it comes to employment litigation regarding sensitive topics such as racial or sexual discrimination, employers need to be very careful. A Texas company may have a valid reason for disciplining or firing someone, but it’s not uncommon for an angry employee to fire back at his or her former employer with accusations of wrongful discharge. Such employment discrimination cases can be costly and damaging to the company’s reputation.
In one recent case, a man from Harris County has filed a lawsuit against TESCO, his former employer, accusing the company of racial discrimination and retaliation. The man alleges that he was repeatedly reprimanded and written up for false allegations and minor mistakes that his white coworkers were not disciplined for. He says that after he made complaints about discrimination to the human resources department, he was transferred to a different location, transferred back abruptly and then terminated. In his lawsuit, he seeks an unspecified amount in damages and reparation, including back pay compensation, emotional pain and the reinstatement of his former position and pay grade.
Complicated employment discrimination cases such as the above example may be a challenge for a company to defend in court. For this reason, it is essential for employers to have legal representation that can prove the reasons an employee was disciplined or fired were justified. In addition to protecting its interests by consulting with a lawyer, a company can protect from lawsuits by ensuring that instances of discipline are properly documented and can be backed up with evidence of an employee’s wrongdoing.
Source: The Southeast Texas Record, “Harris County man accuses TESCO of discrimination, retaliation,” Andrea Dearden, Sept. 26, 2014