Appeals court finds for plaintiff in retaliatory firing suit, reversing lower court finding

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans recently reversed a district court decision in a lawsuit regarding Title VII religious discrimination and retaliation claims in a suit filed by plaintiff Lois Davis against Fort Bend County, Texas.

According to court reports, Davis started working as a desktop support supervisor for Fort Bend in 2007 and was supervised by Charles Cook, the information technology director. In 2010, Davis reported Cook for sexually harassing and assaulting her, which led to Cook’s resignation. After Cook resigned, Davis said Cook’s personal friend at the company, and another one of Davis’ supervisors, Kenneth Ford, began retaliating against her, culminating in her termination in 2011.

Davis filed retaliation and religious discrimination charges against Fort Bend after the event in the district court, which ruled that Davis failed to prove that her termination was an act of retaliation for her earlier complaints against Cook, or that Ford’s actions caused her suffering or embarrassment. The Court of Appeals ruled that religious discrimination could have occurred and that the lower court dismissed this claim irresponsibly.

The attorneys at the The Melton Law Firm help clients who are discriminated against by their employers who reside in Austin or other areas of Texas. Call our offices today at (512) 330-0017 to discuss your own situation.