Texas
Texas Energy Company to Pay $260K to Settle Racial Harassment Lawsuit
A Texas energy company will pay a $265,000 fine to settle charges that it subjected Black and Hispanic field mechanics to harassment.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced last week that Liberty Energy, Inc. doing business as Liberty Oilfield Services, LLC, will settle a race and national origin discrimination lawsuit brought on behalf of three mechanics.
According to the EEOC lawsuit, a Black field mechanic and two Hispanic co-workers at Liberty Energy’s Odessa, Texas location were subjected to a hostile environment and referred to in derogatory terms, including use of the N-word and other slurs such as “beaner” and “wetback.”
Liberty Energy is an oilfield service firm offering technologies to onshore oil and natural gas exploration across North America.
The employees alleged that they made reports to supervisors, management, and human resources about the discriminatory treatment, but no effective corrective or remedial action was taken by the company.
The EEOC’s suit charged that after making his report, the Black mechanic was forced by management to perform undesirable work tasks and was isolated by his peers. With no meaningful action by company management to change the workplace atmosphere and the discriminatory assignments that followed his complaint, he was ultimately left no alternative but to resign.
The alleged conduct violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race and national origin. The EEOC filed suit, Civil Action No. 7:23-cv-00100, in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Midland-Odessa Division, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.
Under the two-year consent decree resolving the suit, in addition to monetary relief for the employees, Liberty Energy will adopt and distribute a policy for all human resources and management personnel to effectively respond to reports to discrimination; post a notice in the workplace informing employees of the settlement; adopt and develop a 1-800 hotline for reporting acts of discrimination and/or harassment; and provide specialized training to employees on the federal laws that prohibit employment discrimination, including Title VII.
Source: EEOC
Topics
Lawsuits
Texas
Interested in Lawsuits?
Get automatic alerts for this topic.
No. 1 seed Texas (51-12, 16-8 in SEC play) and No. 3 seed Texas Tech (61-8, 21-3 in the Big 12) begin their three-game series at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday in Oklahoma City. Each
Texas
Brazoria County deputy shoots, kills Texas State University student after car chase, report says
BRAZORIA COUNTY, Texas – A Texas State University student was shot and killed by a Brazoria County Sheriff’s deputy early Monday morning after an attempted traffic stop in Lake Jackson.
The news was first reported by The University Star, Texas State’s student-run newspaper.
In a Tuesday statement to KSAT, the university identified the student as John Gabriel Mendoza Jr., 18. He was a freshman who studied management, according to the school.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, classmates, and all those affected by this tragedy,” the university said in its statement.
Deputies attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle just after midnight Monday near Farm-to-Market 2004 and This Way Street in Lake Jackson, the sheriff’s office said.
The driver of the vehicle, who was identified as Mendoza by The University Star, did not stop, deputies said. The deputies then chased after the vehicle for approximately a mile into a neighborhood located in the 100 block of Indian Warrior Trail.
According to the sheriff’s office, the driver went inside a home’s garage and parked before a deputy approached the vehicle, the release said.
The deputy then pulled out his firearm and shot into the vehicle. The sheriff’s office said the gunfire struck the driver.
The University Star reported that Mendoza was the one shot. He was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The deputy who pulled the trigger has since been placed on administrative leave in accordance with the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office policy.
KSAT reached out to the Lake Jackson Police Department and the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office for more information, but neither agency has responded at this time.
The shooting investigation is being led by the Texas Rangers, according to a Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office news release.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Read also:
Copyright 2026 by KSAT – All rights reserved.
-
Massachusetts3 minutes agoFrench-Mediterranean Eatery Charts Opening In Boston
-
Minnesota6 minutes agoDennis Peterson
-
Mississippi11 minutes agoMHSAA private schools will have enrollment multiplier starting in 2027-28 season
-
Missouri18 minutes agoWater Safety Tips from Missouri State Highway Patrol – Ozark Radio News
-
Montana21 minutes agoForstag secures democratic nomination for Western Montana Congressional District
-
Nebraska26 minutes agoThree-Time Nebraska State Champion Eje Kim Sends Commitment to Yale for 2027
-
Nevada33 minutes agoCountry artist Caleb Montgomery performing at State Fair of Nevada
-
New Hampshire36 minutes ago12 beautiful hikes this season in Mass. and NH
