An employment dispute has erupted, highlighting allegations of wrongful termination and discrimination based on health conditions. Anastasia Illian, a former employee of Incorp Industries, LLC, filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas on November 24, 2025. The defendants named in the lawsuit are Incorp Industries, LLC and its parent company, ConTeras Industrial Group.
According to the complaint, Illian was employed as a Corporate Controller at Incorp Industries from January 2021. Her role involved overseeing financial operations remotely while traveling occasionally to Indiana for audits. In April 2023, she was offered a new position as “ERP Champion,” responsible for implementing an accounting system across ConTeras companies. However, her career trajectory took a turn when she fell ill with COVID-19 in August 2023 and subsequently developed antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), an autoimmune disorder.
Illian alleges that during her illness, Jim Lowe, Incorp’s Chief Financial Officer, expressed dissatisfaction with her health-related absences. This prompted her to discuss her mental health struggles with ConTeras’ HR Director Lydia Olsen and IT Director Charles Njilefack in October 2023. She disclosed that Lowe’s comments exacerbated her anxiety and depression. Consequently, she sought Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave from October 12 to November 27.
The lawsuit claims that Illian requested to return part-time due to ongoing health issues but was denied by Olsen. Instead, she extended her FMLA leave into the new year after being informed that outstanding tasks related to her previous role needed completion before transitioning fully to ERP Champion. Despite providing medical documentation for this extension on December 5 after delays caused by her psychiatrist’s office closure due to an emergency, Illian received an email from Ryan Schenk, Incorp’s president on December 6 terminating her employment citing job abandonment.
Illian argues that this termination was unjustified as she had been in regular contact with Olsen regarding her leave extension and upcoming surgery scheduled for December 5. She contends that the defendants failed to accommodate her disabilities or engage in interactive processes required under disability laws like ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and TCHRA (Texas Commission on Human Rights Act).
In response to these alleged violations including FMLA interference/retaliation and disability discrimination; Illian seeks various forms of relief: back pay; interest; liquidated damages under FMLA; reinstatement or front pay; compensatory/exemplary damages under ADA/TCHRA; attorney fees/court costs among others.
Representing Illian are attorneys Andrew S. Golub and Lauren L. Van Ness from Dow Golub Remels & Gilbreath PLLC while no specific defense counsel is mentioned yet within Case ID: 4:25-cv-05665 presided over by judges not specified here.
Source: 425cv05665_Anastasia_Illian_v_Incorp_Industries_Complaint_Southern_District_of_Texas.pdf
