HR allegedly sent her complaints in circles—and the party "was not meant for her"
A Black employee says she was isolated, excluded, and ultimately fired after raising concerns about race discrimination at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas.
Rodeshia Galbert filed a federal lawsuit on February 5, 2026, against Health Care Service Corporation, which operates as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. The case, now before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, paints a troubling picture of what happens when HR fails to act on repeated warnings.
Galbert had been a rising star. Hired in October 2018, she climbed the ranks steadily, eventually landing in Health Advocacy Solutions—the company's top-tier customer service role. In October 2022, she accepted a promotion to Benefits Specialist for the City of Austin, relocating for the opportunity.
That's when things started to unravel, according to the lawsuit.
Despite being told she was the top candidate, Galbert alleges she was offered $5,000 less than her existing salary. Her relocation incentive, promised as a reimbursement, was converted into a taxable bonus—a move one manager allegedly acknowledged was "unusual and not standard."
The workplace dynamics that followed read like a case study in exclusion. Galbert claims she was seated apart from her team while other departments sat together. She says she was denied dual monitors that colleagues received, shut out of onboarding training offered to peers in similar roles, and assigned front desk duties that fell outside her job description.
Then came the holiday party.
In December 2023, Galbert was left off the invitation list entirely. When she pressed for an explanation, an executive assistant allegedly told her the exclusion was intentional—the party, she was informed, "was not meant for her."
In February 2024, Galbert escalated her concerns directly to the CEO and HR. The response, she claims, was circular: she was routed back to the same HR representative who had failed to resolve earlier issues. The company investigated and concluded it could not substantiate her claims.
Around this time, Galbert's performance rating dropped from a projected 4 out of 5 to a 3—based, she alleges, on anonymous peer complaints that had never been shared with her.
Things came to a head on March 8, 2024, during a meeting with her supervisor. Galbert recorded the conversation and disclosed it to participants. During that meeting, her supervisor allegedly remarked that she was "too strong for the Austin office"—language the lawsuit frames as invoking a harmful racial stereotype.
A month later, on April 9, 2024, Galbert was terminated. The stated reason: recording that meeting. But according to the lawsuit, she had notified HR beforehand that she would be documenting future conversations, and senior management later confirmed no personally identifiable or protected health information was discussed on the call.
No court has reached a decision on the merits of the case.
Galbert is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, back pay, front pay, and reinstatement.
The case is Galbert v. Health Care Service Corporation, Case No. 1:26-cv-284.
