HOUSTON--A Houston worker is suing a trash and recycling company, alleging employment violations that occurred after his termination.
Phil Roberts filed a lawsuit Oct. 26 in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas against Valet Waste LLC.
According to the complaint, Roberts was an exemplary employee while he worked for Valet Waste, a provider of doorstep trash and recycling collection services. The plaintiff was terminated July 16, 2014.
The suit says the letter of termination mentioned failure to meet performance expectations, although no specifics were cited. Before the termination, the plaintiff interviewed for regional vice president of operations but did not get the job. Instead, the position was given to someone at least 10 years younger and with less experience than the plaintiff, the suit states.
Roberts remained on the job and was injured, yet alleges his new supervisor (occupying the position he had interviewed for) ignored the situation and told him to keep working. The suit says the plaintiff went to his personal physician, who took him out of work under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
However, the suit says, no one at Valet Waste informed Roberts of his rights under the FMLA. Furthermore, after the plaintiff's termination, the defendant failed to inform him of his rights to continue health care coverage, the lawsuit states.
Roberts seeks damages, compensation for losses, emotional pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life, attorney fees, court costs, plus past and future wages. He is represented by attorney J. Alfred Southerland of Shellist Lazarz Slobin in Houston.
Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas Case number 4:15-cv-03145.