A former employee is taking legal action against a company, alleging discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation. On February 27, 2026, Jacobia Carey filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas against And Go Concepts, LLC. The lawsuit claims violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Texas Labor Code.
The plaintiff, Jacobia Carey, began working for And Go Concepts as a Shift Lead in April 2023 and was promoted to General Manager by October 2023. During his tenure, Carey alleges he faced a hostile work environment characterized by sex discrimination and harassment due to his sexual orientation. According to the complaint, when Carey reported these issues to Human Resources, he was subsequently terminated from his position. The complaint details incidents where John Barba, Carey’s District Manager since January 2024, made derogatory comments about Carey’s appearance and sexuality. Barba allegedly told Carey to “get a haircut so [he] looks more like a man” and criticized his choice of clothing as “girly.” Furthermore, when Carey pointed out that another manager was transgender as evidence of the company’s inclusivity, Barba reportedly responded with “yeah, unfortunately.”
Carey’s complaint also highlights an incident during a manager meeting led by Human Resources Representative Julie LNU in February 2024. Carey shared his grievances about Barba’s behavior during this meeting under assurances of confidentiality. However, it later emerged that Julie had informed Barba about Carey’s complaints. Following this disclosure, Barba mocked Carey’s personal items and falsely accused him of bringing a gun to work—a claim that led to Carey’s termination.
The lawsuit outlines multiple causes of action against And Go Concepts under both federal and state laws. These include allegations of discrimination under Title VII and the Texas Labor Code due to Carey’s sexual orientation; maintaining a hostile work environment; and retaliating against Carey for lodging complaints about discriminatory practices.
Carey seeks several forms of relief from the court: declaratory judgment stating that And Go Concepts’ practices were unlawful; compensatory damages including back pay and emotional distress; punitive damages; attorney fees; pre-judgment and post-judgment interest; and injunctive relief requiring diversity training for managers and monitoring compliance with anti-discrimination policies.
The case is represented by attorneys David W. Henderson, Jay D. Ellwanger, and Brian Pounds from Ellwanger Henderson LLLP. It has been assigned Case ID 3:26-cv-00662-L in front of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
Source: 326cv00662_Jacobia_Carey_v_And_Go_Concepts_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Texas.pdf
