HOUSTON – Elizabeth L. Higginbotham of the law firm Higginbotham & Associates LLC in San Antonio has filed a state district lawsuit on behalf of a registered nurse who claims that The Methodist Hospital discriminated against her because she is a lesbian.
Julia McElwee explains in the 9-page suit filed on Jan. 22 in the Harris County 333rd District Court that the hospital, which reportedly employed her for 30 years, subjected her to a hostile work environment.
According to court documents, McElwee’s superiors and other members of Methodist’s staff knew of her sexual orientation and exhibited “abusive and harassing” behavior towards her.
The plaintiff and similarly situated individuals were reportedly referred to as “husbands” and “diesel d***s.” The hospital’s staff created an email address “referring to lesbians as ‘diesel d***e d**e’” in an effort to harass McElwee, the original petition says.
Methodist terminated the plaintiff on Sept. 20, 2018.
Consequently, McElwee seeks unspecified monetary damages.
Harris County 333rd District Court Case No. 2019-05227