HOUSTON – A northwest Harris County hospital is alleged to have terminated a female employee because she was pregnant, according to a federal lawsuit.
Chelsie Graham claims in court documents filed on Sept. 10 in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas that First Texas Hospital Cy-Fair LLC fired her just weeks after she began her FMLA leave earlier this year.
She was reportedly granted leave from January to March.
The suit asserts that Graham, who the defendant formerly employed in its patient registration department, “was treated less favorably than other employees who did not request and/or need FMLA leave.”
“The defendant’s alleged reasons for terminating the plaintiff’s employment are false or unworthy of credence,” the original petition says. “The defendant decided to terminate the plaintiff because the plaintiff engaged in protected conduct under the FMLA.”
Consequently, Graham seeks unspecified monetary damages and a jury trial.
Dennis A. Clifford of The Clifford Law Firm, PLLC in Houston is representing the complainant.
Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas Case No. 4:18-CV-3201