In a compelling legal battle that underscores the ongoing issue of age discrimination in the workplace, a former employee has filed a lawsuit against his previous employer for alleged discriminatory practices. Luis A. Ripoll initiated this complaint on March 14, 2025, in the District Court of Harris County, accusing Volcanic Heater Inc. of violating the Texas Labor Code by terminating his employment due to age-related biases.
Luis A. Ripoll, who had been employed as a Field Technician with Volcanic Heater Inc. since April 14, 2014, claims that he was unjustly fired on November 11, 2024. According to Ripoll's allegations, James White, his General Manager at Volcanic Heater Inc., made repeated disparaging remarks about Ripoll’s age and potential retirement plans over several years. These comments allegedly culminated in Ripoll's termination without any formal reason being provided by the company. The lawsuit argues that these actions are in direct violation of the Texas Labor Code § 21.001 et seq., which prohibits age discrimination in employment practices.
Ripoll asserts that throughout his tenure at Volcanic Heater Inc., he faced continuous age-related harassment from White, who would frequently question him about his retirement plans and make derogatory comments about his ability to perform tasks due to his age. The complaint highlights specific instances where White suggested replacing Ripoll with younger employees despite Ripoll's extensive experience and continued customer preference for his technical expertise.
The plaintiff further contends that these actions created a hostile work environment and were part of a broader pattern of discrimination against older employees within the company. He claims that such behavior not only violated state labor laws but also significantly impacted his mental well-being and professional reputation.
In seeking justice through this lawsuit, Ripoll is demanding various forms of relief from the court. These include back pay with employee benefits, front pay with employee benefits, compensation for loss of enjoyment of life and mental anguish, punitive damages for the malicious nature of the discrimination he faced, as well as pre-and post-judgment interest and coverage of legal costs including reasonable attorney fees.
The case is being handled by Dean J. Schaner from Schaner Law Firm PLLC based in Bellaire, Texas. The presiding judge over this matter is yet to be named under Case ID: CA NO: 2025-11574/Court:165.