HOUSTON – A federal lawsuit accuses Harris County Precinct 7, Place 2 of terminating a man for fulfilling his military obligations, recent Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas records show.
Raul Porras Peralta initiated legal action on Dec. 6, stating he experienced a hostile work environment after he informed his supervisor of his intentions to enlist in the armed forces.
Peralta was employed as an administrative clerk by the defendant from May 2015 to September 2016.
“During the following months after Mr. Peralta informed his supervisor of his intent to join the military, he observed a shift of attitude towards him from his colleagues,” court documents explain. “Mr. Peralta alleges that his colleagues were instructed not to assist him in tasks such as filing cases or folding letters to defendants. Additionally, he was falsely accused of causing an erroneous arrest of a defendant.”
The plaintiff later went to his military physical training, took the Oath of Enlistment, and returned to his job. According to the complaint, he told Judge Zinetta Burney that he joined the service only to be asked to resign in a private meeting shortly afterwards.
Burney allegedly told Peralta, “I don’t have to have a reason” when the latter questioned why he was asked to resign. His supervisor subsequently handed him a memorandum announcing his termination after he refused to comply, the suit says.
Consequently, Peralta seeks unspecified monetary damages.
He is represented by attorney DaSean A. Jones of Houston.
Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas Case No. 4:17-CV-3692