HOUSTON — A worker alleges he was fired in retaliation for reporting a hostile work environment to management and the EEOC.
John Jones filed a complaint Jan. 6 in Harris County District Court against Centene Management Company LLC alleging violation of the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act.
Jones was hired by Centene as a shipping coordinator on April 18, 2016, according to his complaint. He alleges that in February of 2020, he began to work under a new supervisor, Wendell Graves, who worked out of Austin. Jones claims Graves "was immediately hostile" towards him including intimidating him, questioning his adequacy and commitment and undermining his work by setting unrealistic deadlines.
Jones further claims that in March of 2020, he complained to human resources about his hostile work environment and that Graves began to retaliate by accusing him of stealing time, removing him from the corporate office and denying his paying raise. He also claims Graves refused to reimburse his travel expenses, reassigned his duties to a worker in Austin, mandated he attend a "weekly corrective action meeting" and was then fired on Oct, 23, 2020.
Jones seeks monetary relief between $250,000 and $1 million, interest and all other just relief. He is represented by Craig Keener of Craig R. Keener PC in Houston.
Harris County District Court case number 2022-00934