EEOC Sues HSS Security for Sex Discrimination

HOUSTON -- HSS Security, LLC, a nationwide business providing security guards and other security services, violated federal law by refusing to hire a qualified applicant because she is a woman, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed today.

According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, a woman applied for a security shift supervisor position at an HSS Security client site, a hospital in Webster, Texas. The job description required prior security guard experience, the ability to obtain and maintain firearm and TASER licenses, a driver’s license and working knowledge of firearms. The description also listed supervisory experience as a preferred qualification.

An HSS recruiter interviewed the female applicant, found her to be qualified for the job, and offered her the position. After the applicant accepted the job offer, she was scheduled to meet two HSS supervisors, the program manager and the facility supervisor. The supervisors told the applicant the job could get very physical and that individuals in the hospital would at times have to be subdued. She described to them her actual experience in similar situations. Despite her assurances, the program manager subsequently instructed the recruiter to withdraw her job offer and weeks later, HSS offered the same job to two separate male applicants. Neither of these male applicants was more qualified than the female applicant, the suit said.

The alleged conduct violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The case, U.S. EEOC v. HSS Security, LLC, Civil Action No. 4:24-cv-03663, was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division. The lawsuit seeks instatement to the job, compensatory, and punitive damages, as well as appropriate injunctive relief to prevent similar such discriminatory practices in the future.

“Employers cannot act on their own stereotypic assumptions and perceptions relating to gender in making employment decisions,” said Rayford O. Irvin, district director for the EEOC’s Houston District Office.

EEOC Senior Trial Attorney Claudia Molina-Antanaitis said, “Judging job candidates based on their sex perpetuates discrimination and bias in the workplace. This case stands as a reminder to all employers that the EEOC will enforce federal law to put an end to sex discrimination in employment.”

More information is available at https://www.eeoc.gov/sex-based-discrimination.

The EEOC’s Houston District Office has jurisdiction over southeast Texas, as well as all of Louisiana.

The EEOC prevents and remedies unlawful employment discrimination and advances equal opportunity for all. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.