A woman who was suffering from lung and adrenal cancer has filed suit against her employer, alleging she lost her job due to her disease and her age.
Lisa Farrell filed suit May 20 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas Sherman Division against Willbros T&D Services LLC.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff had been working for the defendant for more than 13 years when she was terminated Nov. 4. Before her job loss, in March of 2013, Farrell had been diagnosed with lung and adrenal cancer.
She began traveling to M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston for chemotherapy and radiation treatments, but arranged her schedule so she would only be gone Thursdays and Fridays, according to the complaint. In addition, she took her work computer with her and billed only for hours she worked while undergoing treatments, the suit states.
On Nov. 4, Farrell learned her job was being eliminated due to cost cutting, the complaint says. She was told her job would be split between three other people, according to the complaint.
However, before her job loss, Farrell had been told she would have the chance to relocate with her job if it moved. She contends she was never given such an opportunity.
Instead, Willbros terminated the 58-year-old Farrell due to her age and her disability, the suit states.
Farrell is seeking actual damages within the jurisdictional limits of the court at the highest rate allowed by law, plus liquidated and punitive damages, attorney’s fees, costs, pre- and post-judgment interest and other relief the court deems just.
She will be represented by Ronald R. Huff of Sherman.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas Sherman Division case number 14-cv-318.
This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas Sherman Division. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note that a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it represents only one side of the story.