A six-year employee of Pilgrim's Pride Corp. is requesting a jury trial in a six-count employment discrimination case.
In a complaint filed July 10 in the Texarkana Division of the Eastern District of Texas, Carl R. Titus charged the company with race discrimination, color discrimination, disparate treatment employment discrimination, disparate impact employment discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliation and failure to promote. Titus' attorney filed the claim under the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
According to the complaint, in 2009 Pilgrim's Pride hired Titus, an African-American, as a shop attendant in its Mount Pleasant location. In the last few years, however, Titus noticed more and more discriminatory actions against him, including derogatory racial comments, reduction of hours, negatively changing his working conditions, and failing to promote or pay him the same as his counterparts. In addition, Titus asked the company several times about securing a promotion, with his attempts thwarted each time, he claims. The lawsuit states that non-black employees with less experience, education and seniority were promoted over him. He further says the company never explained why it was acting in this manner toward him and him only, the complaint states.
In addition to a trial by jury, Titus is also requesting punitive damages totaling $75,000 as well as expenses and attorney fees. He is represented by Hiram McBeth of the McBeth Law Office in Dallas.
Texarkana Division of the Eastern District of Texas case number 5:15-cv-00111-RWS-CMC.