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HOUSTON, TX (STL.News) — HSS Security, LLC, a nationwide security services provider, is facing allegations of violating federal law by refusing to hire a qualified female applicant due to her gender, according to a recent lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The lawsuit states that a woman applied for a security shift supervisor position at an HSS Security client site, a hospital in Webster, Texas. The job requirements included prior security guard experience, firearm and TASER licenses, a driver’s license, and knowledge of firearms, with supervisory experience listed as a preferred qualification.
An HSS recruiter interviewed the woman, deemed her qualified, and extended a job offer. However, when the applicant met with the program manager and facility supervisor, they expressed concerns about the physical nature of the role. Despite the applicant’s assurance of her ability to handle such situations, the program manager later instructed the recruiter to rescind her offer. The position was subsequently offered to two male candidates, neither of whom were more qualified than the female applicant, according to the lawsuit.
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The EEOC claims this conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. After attempting to resolve the matter through conciliation, the EEOC filed the case in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (U.S. EEOC v. HSS Security, LLC, Civil Action No. 4:24-cv-03663). The lawsuit seeks job reinstatement, compensatory and punitive damages, and injunctive relief to prevent future discriminatory practices.
“Employers cannot make hiring decisions based on stereotypical gender assumptions,” said Rayford O. Irvin, district director for the EEOC’s Houston office. EEOC Senior Trial Attorney Claudia Molina-Antanaitis added, “This case highlights the EEOC’s commitment to eliminating sex discrimination in the workplace.”
