Woman claims job loss due to gender

A woman has filed suit against her former employer, alleging she was terminated because of her gender.

Patricia Britt claims she was working as a crush operator, relief operator and lean man for defendant BTCSP and Boomerang Tube.

Shortly after beginning her employment, Britt's supervisors and co-workers began to sexually harass her, according to the complaint filed Aug. 29 in the Houston Division of the Southern District of the U.S. District Court in Texas. 

"As plaintiff's role within defendants changed, the sexual harassment intensified," the suit states. "Sexually suggestive and harassing comments continued to be made and statements about her were written in the men's bathroom on the production floor. In addition to verbal and written comments of a sexually harassing nature, defendants' employees engaged in physical contact which was offensive and unwelcome."

Initially, Britt elected not to report the harassment because she feared she would lose her job, the complaint says. However, she later decided to report the harassment to human resources, and an attorney for the company flew in to meet with Britt, she claims. The attorney approached Britt in an intimidating manner, according to the complaint.

After the investigation, Britt never heard of what happened and never saw any defendants being disciplined for their actions, the suit states. She was transferred to another department where two supervisors told her they were supposed to fire her, the complaint says.

The sexual harassment continued after Britt's transfer and she was eventually terminated on Dec. 14, 2012, she claims.

Britt says the defendants violated Title VII by discriminating against her based on her gender.

In her complaint, Britt is seeking back and front pay, past and future benefits, compensatory and punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, attorneys' fees, costs and other relief the court deems just.

J. Alfred Southerland of Shellist, Lazarz and Slobin LLP in Houston will be representing her.

U.S. District Court case number: 4:14-CV-2512

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the U.S. District Court. 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.