A former employee has taken legal action against a major funeral services company, alleging wrongful termination based on age and race discrimination. Blenda DeBerry filed the complaint in the Harris County District Court on March 7, 2025, accusing SCI Shared Resources LLC of discriminatory practices that led to her unlawful dismissal.
Blenda DeBerry, who served as a Sales Manager III at SCI Shared Resources LLC, claims she was unjustly terminated from her position on November 14, 2024. She alleges that her firing was not due to any misconduct but rather as retaliation for her complaints about racial discrimination and lack of advancement opportunities for African American employees within the company. DeBerry argues that her termination followed closely after she raised concerns about these issues with her superiors. The complaint states that "SCI’s proffered reasoning is pretextual," suggesting that the company's explanation for her dismissal was merely a cover-up for their discriminatory actions.
DeBerry's lawsuit highlights several instances where she observed discriminatory practices at SCI. She noted that lucrative contracts were consistently awarded to non-African American employees and that lower sales quotas were set for them, allowing easier access to bonuses. In contrast, DeBerry and other African American colleagues faced higher quotas and fewer advancement opportunities. The complaint also mentions specific individuals involved in these practices, such as Corey Scarborough and Jay Jones, who allegedly favored non-African American employees in promotions and contract awards.
The plaintiff is seeking relief under multiple laws including the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. Section 1981, and Chapter 21 of the Texas Labor Code. She demands compensation for back pay, front pay, emotional distress damages, punitive damages, attorney fees, and other related costs. DeBerry asserts that all conditions precedent to filing this lawsuit have been met and requests a jury trial to resolve these allegations.
The case is being handled by Judge Wanda Chambers in the Harris County District Court under Case ID: 2025-15639. Blenda DeBerry is representing herself in this matter without an attorney listed in the document.