A former employee is suing a McKinney plumbing company, alleging one of his supervisors sexually harassed him.
Miguel Santos filed a lawsuit Oct. 30 in the Sherman Division of the Eastern District of Texas against Aramendia Plumbing, Heating and Air of North Texas in McKinney, alleging sexual harassment and illegal retaliation.
According to the complaint, during the time Santos was an apprentice plumber with the defendant, he was subjected to severe and pervasive sexual harassment by the plumber supervising him. The suit says the harassment included improper and unwanted body touching, as well as regular sexually inappropriate verbal statements and gestures.
On Oct. 17, 2014, the lawsuit states, Santos spoke with another supervisor, informing him he could no longer work with the harasser. The supervisor told him to go home and relax over the weekend, and that he might be assigned to work with a different plumber, the suit says.
On Oct. 21, 2014, the lawsuit states, the supervisor asked Santos to sign termination paperwork because he "walked off the job." The supervisor also defended the harasser, stating "that's how plumbers joke around," and that the harasser "is the one that makes this company a lot of money," the suit says.
As a result of the harassment and termination, the plaintiff says he has sustained actual damages in lost wages and benefits, as well as trauma and loss of enjoyment of life.
Santos seeks actual, compensatory and punitive damages, plus attorney fees and costs of the suit. He is represented by attorneys Robert "Bobby" Lee and Megan Dixon of Lee & Braziel in Dallas.
Sherman Division of the Eastern District of Texas case number 4:15-cv-00762-ALM.