Eight years in, a director says HR ran out the clock on his appeal
A former Marriott director says his manager bombarded him with sexual texts - then the company fired him and shut him out of its appeal process.
Samuel Duane Stevenson filed suit on April 29, 2026 in the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas. He worked at the Marriott Marquis Houston for roughly eight years, moving from Spa/Recreation Attendant in February 2017 to Director of Recreation in January 2025. He is representing himself.
The complaint centres on Spa Manager Rachel Cain. According to the filing, the harassment began around October 2024 and included sexually explicit texts, requests for sexual activity, inappropriate comments, and repeated off-duty messages. Stevenson quotes two messages he attributes to Cain. One, he says, read, "I had an orgasm rubbing my 'pussy' while looking at that beautiful photo of you." Another: "I want you to masturbate and think about me while you do it." He describes the conduct as severe and pervasive.
The complaint anticipates that Marriott may dispute that Cain was Stevenson's supervisor. Stevenson alleges she directed his work, controlled his schedule, and influenced advancement opportunities. He cites a statement he attributes to Cain in which she said, "I never had the title of Rec Manager nor did I want it or seek it out... they had me take on the job responsibilities of two managers without the pay or title."
Stevenson says he reported the harassment to Juan Calderon, but the company did not investigate properly and required him to keep working with Cain. He says he was told to be a "team player" and "learn the ropes."
The filing also raises a labour-rights thread. Stevenson alleges he flagged concerns about a contract labour provider, Xclusive, including irregular documentation and debt-related conditions he believed could be coercive. He says he was told it was a "third-party" issue. According to the complaint, Cain at one point responded, "Xclusive and companies like it are basically human trafficking and Marriott is fully aware..." A worker later referenced in the complaint was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and deported, the filing says.
Marriott terminated Stevenson on June 9, 2025, citing a policy-based reason tied to its associate discount program, the complaint says. He alleges the reason was pretextual. The complaint says he had no active discipline, the company's progressive discipline policy generally requires a prior written warning followed by another violation before termination of a management associate, and Marriott posted Spa Director and Recreation Coordinator roles within seven days of his termination.
Stevenson reserves his sharpest criticism for Marriott's Guarantee of Fair Treatment process, which gives terminated employees seven days to request a Peer Review Panel. He says he asked HR repeatedly for the paperwork, did not receive it until approximately 4:30pm on a Friday, and was told the following business day that his window had closed.
He filed an EEOC charge and received a right-to-sue notice on February 5, 2026.
The lawsuit brings five counts: Title VII retaliation, Title VII hostile work environment, quid pro quo harassment, retaliation under Texas Labor Code section 21.055, and wrongful termination. He is asking for back pay, front pay, compensatory and punitive damages, attorney's fees, and a jury trial.
The allegations have not been tested in court. Marriott has not yet filed a response, and no court has ruled on the claims.
