Harris County woman claims age, gender led to termination

HOUSTON - Harris County resident Deborah Andrews claims she was terminated from Cryogenic Vessel Alternatives Inc. because she complained about age and gender termination.

Andrews filed suit on Aug. 31 in the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division.

According to the suit,  CVA denied Andrews opportunities to move up within the company while discriminating against her and another female employee around her age.

CVA hired the plaintiff, 57, on June 14, 2011, as an X-ray technician helper, the suit states.

Andrews claims that when she began her job she made it clear that her goal was to receive training so she could progress to X-ray technician. She was turned down, and alleges that later she learned she "would not be performing those duties because (of her) age and being a woman would make it difficult for (her) to climb in and out of the vessels," the suit states.

The suit further alleges Andrews was denied a raise after she finished her 90-day probationary period and was kept from enrolling in a requisite class for the X-ray technician position she wanted, even though CVA permitted two younger male colleagues to apply, according to the lawsuit.

According to the plaintiff, CVA "did not want women (her) age shooting the X-ray."

She adds she was repeatedly ridiculed about her age and subjected to various, negative, age-based comments by co-workers.

Andrews claims she was also told she was in line to be laid off "because she was not able to shoot X-rays" in December 2011. She was dismissed on Jan. 4.

Meanwhile, the younger and supposedly less experienced men were retained and put into X-ray technician training, the suit alleges.

The plaintiff is requesting a jury trial.

Attorney Ashok Bail of Houston is representing the plaintiff.

Case No. 4:12-cv-2620