Engineer accuses Valero of racial discrimination

A Harris County resident has sued his employer, alleging violation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Steven Guillory of Pearland filed suit Feb. 19 in Galveston County District Court against Valero Energy Corporation and  Valero Services Inc. alleging discrimination and retaliatory action.

According to the complaint, Guillory, a African-American, was hired by Valero in June 2005 as a project engineer. When a supervisor was transferred in 2011, Guillory expressed interest in the position and served in an interim capacity, the suit states, but the job was given to a different candidate, and Guillory was allegedly forced to work with the manager who had discriminated against him, despite his request to avoid contact.

The suit states Guillory filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in June 2012 and subsequently was subjected to retaliatory acts such as being denied vacation time. According to the suit, he was discriminated against for both racial and retaliatory reasons, and his health was adversely affected due to a hostile work environment and he felt forced to resign.

The plaintiff alleges past and future pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of income.

Guillory seeks between $200,000 and $1 million in compensation for damages, attorney and witness fees, expenses and costs. He is represented by attorney Barry C. Heslop of the Law Office of Barry C. Heslop in Houston.

Galveston County District Court case number: 15-CV-0157