Manuel Zamora Vs. Houston Police Department
Houston Police Department
It is important to contact an employment lawyer such as Tayeb Hyderally in the event that an individual feels that any course of retaliatory actions have been aimed at them for opposing discriminatory actions in the workplace. However, just because an individual is terminated from their job or lose their position does not always constitute retaliation. Some aspects of employment law are designed specifically to protect employees from retaliation when they have reported an act of discrimination, filed a discrimination claim or in any way has shown opposition to discriminatory actions in the workplace. In the event that a retaliatory action does occur, an employment lawyer can litigate the case as is seen in the case of Zamora vs. the Houston Police Department one does not have to be directly involved in the discrimination proceedings to be subjected to retaliatory actions.
Background on Zamora
Christopher Zamora and his father both worked at the Houston Police Department. His father, Lt. Manuel F. Zamora was part of a group of several dozen Hispanic police officers who filed a discrimination claim against the department stating that they were being overlooked for promotions because of their race. The case also cited that they felt they were frequently assigned much larger case loads than many other non-Hispanic officers as well as having to deal with less than favorable conditions that other officers did not have to experience. The case was eventually dismissed and shortly after that Manuel Zamora retired after 31 years of service with the Houston Police Department.
Who is Christopher Zamora?
Christopher Zamora very well respected and liked within the Houston Police Department. He had been awarded for his above average service by a state law enforcement agency. When the elder Zamora filed the discrimination claim against the department, Christopher Zamora was transferred out of the Crime Reduction Unit. He went from working in this elite unit to working a night patrol shortly after his father and the other 30 Hispanic officers filed the federal suit. The younger Zamora filed a Retaliation claim stating that his demotion was an instance of retaliation because of his father’s actions opposing discrimination.
Retaliation Claims
There are three aspects of a retaliation claim: engaging in protected activities, suffering an adverse action and being casually connected to the engaged activity that is protected. The district court in Houston granted summary judgment to the Houston Police Department and the 5th Circuit also upheld this as far as the father was concerned. But, the 5th Circuit Court allowed the younger Zamora to bring a retaliation claim as an employee since his co-worker was also a close family member. This precedent was set several years ago in the Thompson v. North American Stainless case. The Supreme Court case held that an employee could claim retaliation based on protected activity based on co-workers who are also family members. Christopher Zamora was indirectly engaging in protected activities according to the court therefore it just needed to be decided whether or not his transfer could be classified as an adverse action and whether or not it was in any way connected to the father’s discrimination claims against Houston Police Department.
Case Decisions
The elder Zamora’s discrimination case was dismissed. However, Christopher Zamora’s retaliation case stood in court and was decided by a jury of his peers. The federal jury awarded the Houston patrolman $378,000 after the jury decided that he had been subjected to retaliatory actions after his father and the other officers filed their discrimination lawsuit. There are federal laws in place to help protect employees such as Christopher Zamora from these types of retaliation because of opposition to discriminatory actions in the workplace.
Background on Zamora
Christopher Zamora and his father both worked at the Houston Police Department. His father, Lt. Manuel F. Zamora was part of a group of several dozen Hispanic police officers who filed a discrimination claim against the department stating that they were being overlooked for promotions because of their race. The case also cited that they felt they were frequently assigned much larger case loads than many other non-Hispanic officers as well as having to deal with less than favorable conditions that other officers did not have to experience. The case was eventually dismissed and shortly after that Manuel Zamora retired after 31 years of service with the Houston Police Department.
Who is Christopher Zamora?
Christopher Zamora very well respected and liked within the Houston Police Department. He had been awarded for his above average service by a state law enforcement agency. When the elder Zamora filed the discrimination claim against the department, Christopher Zamora was transferred out of the Crime Reduction Unit. He went from working in this elite unit to working a night patrol shortly after his father and the other 30 Hispanic officers filed the federal suit. The younger Zamora filed a Retaliation claim stating that his demotion was an instance of retaliation because of his father’s actions opposing discrimination.
Retaliation Claims
There are three aspects of a retaliation claim: engaging in protected activities, suffering an adverse action and being casually connected to the engaged activity that is protected. The district court in Houston granted summary judgment to the Houston Police Department and the 5th Circuit also upheld this as far as the father was concerned. But, the 5th Circuit Court allowed the younger Zamora to bring a retaliation claim as an employee since his co-worker was also a close family member. This precedent was set several years ago in the Thompson v. North American Stainless case. The Supreme Court case held that an employee could claim retaliation based on protected activity based on co-workers who are also family members. Christopher Zamora was indirectly engaging in protected activities according to the court therefore it just needed to be decided whether or not his transfer could be classified as an adverse action and whether or not it was in any way connected to the father’s discrimination claims against Houston Police Department.
Case Decisions
The elder Zamora’s discrimination case was dismissed. However, Christopher Zamora’s retaliation case stood in court and was decided by a jury of his peers. The federal jury awarded the Houston patrolman $378,000 after the jury decided that he had been subjected to retaliatory actions after his father and the other officers filed their discrimination lawsuit. There are federal laws in place to help protect employees such as Christopher Zamora from these types of retaliation because of opposition to discriminatory actions in the workplace.