She claims employer's own lawyers approved every document before blaming her for sending them
A legal director says she was fired for sending fabricated documents to federal investigators—the same documents her employer's own lawyers had approved.
Kimberly Warren had been helping The Salvation Army respond to a discrimination investigation when the organization abruptly fired her, according to a lawsuit filed November 24, 2025, in federal court in Dallas. The case raises uncomfortable questions about what happens when an employer blames an employee for actions its own legal team authorized.
Warren, who is black, worked as Divisional Paralegal/Legal Director for The Salvation Army's Texas Division. Her role put her at the center of responding to an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission inquiry into allegations that the nonprofit had mishandled a sexual harassment complaint from a former employee.
The trouble started in late 2023, when Warren began preparing responses to the EEOC's request for information about the earlier case. According to the lawsuit, that initial matter stemmed from harassment allegations The Salvation Army never fully investigated, leading the employee to resign and file a federal charge.
Warren says she worked hand-in-hand with the organization's in-house counsel throughout January 2024 to compile documents for investigators. When she questioned whether certain materials should be shared, she was told employment files could not be redacted and that emails and text messages she considered confidential were fair game for the EEOC.
One exchange proved particularly fraught. Warren had taken informal meeting notes from October 2022 and reformatted them onto official letterhead to make them look more professional. When counsel raised concerns, she agreed not to send that version—though the original notes were already part of the submission. Everything that went to the EEOC, she maintains, was reviewed and approved by the legal team.
On February 9, 2024, roughly a month after submitting the materials, Warren was called into a meeting. Her direct supervisor and the human resources director delivered the news: she was terminated, effective immediately. The reason, they told her, was that she had sent fabricated documents that damaged the investigation and would cost the organization money. The directive, they said, came from Territorial Headquarters in Atlanta.
Warren says she never received written notice of her termination. The Salvation Army offered her a severance package with a three-week deadline to sign away her right to sue, which she declined. Her job was posted online within a week.
The lawsuit points to what it describes as procedural irregularities. According to The Salvation Army's own policies, the Divisional Finance Board must approve employee terminations, and severance is reserved for workforce reductions. Warren's position was not eliminated.
The case, which asserts claims of racial discrimination and retaliation under federal civil rights law, remains in its early stages. Warren is seeking back pay, future lost wages, and damages for emotional distress. The Salvation Army has not yet responded to the allegations in court.
