Woman claims company fired her for refusing to attend meeting with alleged harasser

HOUSTON - Houston resident Kelly Guy alleges Asplundh Tree Expert Co. fired her for refusing to attend a meeting with a male co-worker she claims sexually harassed her and has pursued legal action.

Guy filed a lawsuit against her former employer in Harris County District Court last month.
The case was transferred to the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas on Jan. 10.

The defendant, doing business as Trees Inc., employed Guy as a receptionist and safety assistant from March 2005 to January 2013.

According to the suit, said co-worker, Walter Carranza, harassed her for a period of five years.

Carranza, who is not a defendant in the litigation, allegedly massaged the plaintiff's shoulders as well as tried to get her to sit on his lap.

Court documents additionally assert that Carranza purportedly touched Guy's breast "multiple" times, stating she reported him to a couple of individuals.

Early last year, the respondent called a training meeting about sexual harassment to which Guy refused to make because her alleged harasser "would be sitting at the same table as her."

"She was given no alternative to sitting in the same room with him for a training that would take three hours," the suit says.

"Upon voicing her objection to attending the meeting with her alleged harasser in the room, she was fired."

A jury trial is requested.

Attorney Keith Lovelace of the Law Office of Keith Lovelace in Houston is representing the complainant.

Case No. 4:14-CV-0069