HOUSTON — A former treatment facility worker is alleging she faced threats and was fired for reporting the facility's falsification of documents and illegal practices.
Nicole Thompson filed a complaint March 29 in Harris County District Court against the Cenikor Foundation alleging retaliatory discharge.
Thompson began working for Cenikor Foundation as a behavioral technician on Aug. 29, 2019, according to her complaint. She alleges that on Sept. 3, 2020, she met with Cenikor's vice president and human resource specialist and informed them several youth ran away from the facility and that she and other staff had previously been instructed to report any runaways to the police "under their own drivers' licenses rather than the facility."
Thompson further alleges that she inquired how to get the runaway children off of her driver's license and reported to management that the children were running away from the facility because the advertised services such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous were not being offered by the facility.
She also claims her supervisors were "falsifying documents" and reporting to the courts, probation officers, insurance companies and to parents that the children were receiving those services. Thompson alleges that within a week of reporting of the illegal activity she was threatened, suspended and eventually terminated on Sept. 29, 2020.
Thompson seeks monetary relief of more than $1 million, trial by jury and all other just relief. She is represented by Lesley Hakari of The Pouget Law Offices PLLC in Bradenton, Florida.
Harris County District Court case number 2021-18429