Former janitor claims she lost job for reporting alleged sexual assault by supervisor

HOUSTON - A federal lawsuit accuses ISS Facility Services Inc. of allegedly terminating a female janitor for reporting sexual assault.

Court papers filed June 25 in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas claim that plaintiff Araceli Medina de Perez was reportedly molested by her supervisor last year.

They explain the incident in question occurred at a worksite located at the Houston Premium Outlets in northwest Harris County on Feb. 13, 2012.

According to de Perez, the supervisor, Carlos Alejandro Guzman Godinez, instructed her to go into the family restroom in the building.

Once she was inside one of the stalls, the original petition states, Godinez walked in, locked the restroom door and proceeded to attack the complainant.

The plaintiff further shows that she told him to stop to no avail as he continued the purported assault, saying she sought her sister's help in contacting authorities afterwards.

She also notified the district manager about what had happened to her and was placed on medical leave until April 26, 2012.

Meanwhile, Godinez, an alleged undocumented worker from Guatemala, was jailed in response to the subject event.

ISS later fired de Perez on March 30, 2012, during the midst of her leave, on grounds she had abandoned her job for not returning to the same facility.

The suit asserts the dismissal was retaliatory in nature.

A jury trial is requested.

Attorney Melissa Moore of Moore & Associates in Houston is representing the plaintiff.

Case No. 4:13-CV-1854