Process engineer says company fired him for going on medical leave

HOUSTON - A Harris County man has filed a lawsuit against Fluor Corp. after he was allegedly fired for his disability.

Benjamin Bryson launched the litigation against his ex-employer in Harris County District Court on Aug. 16.

After the original petition was amended, the suit was sent to the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas on Sept. 23.

Fluor hired Bryson in March 2012, according to the lawsuit.  He was employed as a process engineer at the time of his firing earlier this year.

Court documents explain that some six months after the plaintiff was brought on, he began to develop medical issues and faced medical challenges pertaining to his stomach.

After he suffered neck problems, he applied for medical leave on Oct. 5, 2012, and was approved.

The complainant continued to work albeit in small increments despite his Family and Medical Leave Act-mandated respite.

The suit further shows that Bryson's co-workers supposedly mistreated him after he went on leave, asserting he was sarcastically asked about when he was going to finish certain assignments.

The plaintiff adds his lead engineer gave him a verbal reprimand for being "non-existent on the project" to which the suit claims the subordinates did not approve of him attending to his medical condition.

Bryson was eventually removed from the aforementioned project and bounced around on various projects until his termination last Jan. 30.

"The plaintiff's disability was a motivating factor in the defendant's decision to fire him," the suit says.

A jury trial is requested.

Attorney Peter Costea of Houston is representing Bryson.

Case No. 4:13-CV-2805