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SOUTHEAST TEXAS RECORD

Friday, March 29, 2024

Racial discrimination complaints lead to African American woman's firing, suit says

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HOUSTON - Alleging Compassionate Care Hospice of the Woodlands LLC and Compassionate Care Hospice Group Ltd. subjected her to racial discrimination prior to firing her, Harris County resident Sharon T. Solari pursues legal action. 

Recent court documents filed Sept. 20 in Houston federal court allege Solari, an African American woman, was treated poorly compared to her white colleagues and her efforts to address the issues fell on deaf ears.

The defendants hired the plaintiff as an assistant program director on July 13, 2009.

She was a program director, the only one in the respondents' southwest regional offices who was black, at the facilities in The Woodlands at the time of her apparent termination.

Solari alleges the mistreatment began with inflammatory remarks made by one of her marketers, a white male named Wayne Norman, in the summer of 2010.

The suit states she reported Norman to her supervisor Judy Wonyetye.

Meanwhile, the plaintiff anticipated an annual review which the original petition says did not take place, depriving her "the opportunity to receive an annual increase that accompanied the review."

Solari eventually fired Norman for "poor performance, insubordination, violation of company policy, crossing boundaries, creating negativity and discord in the workplace" and deemed him ineligible for rehire.

Court papers say the defendants brought Norman back while Solari was being coerced to resign or "foresee an uncomfortable working environment."

The complainant further explains she was dismissed as program director in favor of Norman, who she claims was unqualified.

Consequently, she seeks unspecified monetary damages.

Attorney Ashok Bail of Houston is representing Solari.

Case No. 4:12-cv-2830

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