A lawsuit has been filed against a prominent industrial company, alleging serious claims of discrimination and retaliation. Jeanna Kelly initiated the complaint in the District Court of Harris County, Texas, on September 30, 2024, targeting Apache Industrial Holdings, Inc. The case centers around accusations of age and sex discrimination and subsequent retaliatory actions taken by the defendant.
Jeanna Kelly's legal action against Apache Industrial Holdings, Inc. stems from her employment experience with the company beginning in February 2022. As a Senior Fleet & DOT Compliance Manager, Kelly asserts that she maintained an exemplary performance record until her termination on May 8, 2024. She alleges that during her tenure, she faced discrimination based on her sex and age—being over forty—and was subjected to a hostile work environment perpetuated by her supervisor, Craig Coverdale. According to Kelly's petition, Coverdale referred to female employees derogatorily and engaged in aggressive behavior towards her. After reporting these incidents to Apache's HR director Ivan Dominguez on May 2, 2024, Kelly claims no corrective action was taken. Instead, she was laid off under what she believes were false pretenses.
Kelly argues that her dismissal was not due to job redundancy but rather as retaliation for her complaints about discriminatory practices—a violation of Chapter 21 of the Texas Labor Code. She highlights that after being assured she would not be laid off due to the importance of her role, a younger employee replaced her following her termination. These actions have led Kelly to seek monetary relief exceeding $250,000 but not more than $1 million for lost wages and benefits, mental anguish, loss of reputation and opportunity among other damages.
In addition to compensatory damages for economic losses and emotional distress caused by alleged unlawful employment practices at Apache Industrial Holdings Inc., Kelly seeks punitive damages claiming the company's actions were carried out with malice or reckless indifference to her rights protected under state law. She is also pursuing attorney fees and court costs as part of the relief sought through this litigation.
Representing Jeanna Kelly are attorneys Joshua A. Verde and Ashley B. Reilly from The Verde Law Firm PLLC based in Houston, Texas. The case is presided over by Judge Patricia Jones in Harris County’s 234th Judicial District Court under Case ID: 2024-67358.