Harris County is facing a federal lawsuit from Tera Roberson, a former employee of County Judge Lina Hidalgo's office, who alleges race and sex discrimination and retaliation after raising concerns about staffing decisions. Roberson, a Black woman and mother of two, claims she was fired 11 days after submitting a formal human resources complaint in November 2024. Hidalgo's office denies the allegations.
Hidalgo is Harris County's elected chief executive in Texas; the title 'county judge' does not mean she presides over a conventional courtroom. The lawsuit names Harris County as the defendant, while Roberson's allegations concern decisions made within Hidalgo's administration.
Former Employee Alleges Preference for White Men
Roberson alleges that Hidalgo preferred white men for certain communications positions and that the preference affected decisions about who would lead the office's communications team.
Hidalgo hired Roberson in February 2024 to produce multimedia and social media content. Roberson had previously worked in television and news production and took a career break after her son's death in 2022. Former news reporter John Mone later joined the office.
The lawsuit says Roberson and Mone were asked to co-lead communications, even though Roberson believed she was being positioned for the sole director role.
Roberson claims she was expected to help Mone while being passed over for advancement. The filing also describes disputes about working arrangements and alleges that she was sidelined after interactions that displeased Hidalgo. Mone declined to comment when approached for the original Houston Chronicle report.
Complaint and Dismissal Timeline
Roberson filed a formal complaint with Harris County human resources on 11 November 2024, alleging discriminatory treatment. On 20 November, HR informed her that Hidalgo would be notified of the complaint. Roberson alleges she was dismissed on 22 November, 11 days after filing and two days after the notification. She argues that the sequence supports her retaliation claim.
The stated reason for her termination was an ongoing or repeated inability to communicate effectively with Hidalgo. Roberson disputes that explanation and maintains that she had not previously received formal discipline for the alleged problem. She says she subsequently struggled to find steady employment.
EEOC Finding Concerned Retaliation
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued a reasonable-cause determination in April 2026, finding grounds to believe Roberson had experienced unlawful retaliation, as described in reporting on her attorney's account.
After conciliation efforts failed and the matter was referred to the U.S. Department of Justice, Roberson received a Notice of Right to Sue on 20 October 2026. That notice enabled her to pursue the claims in court. An EEOC reasonable-cause determination is not a judicial finding of liability, and the discrimination and retaliation claims remain subject to the legal process.
Hidalgo Office Rejects Allegations
A spokesperson for Hidalgo rejected the accusations and pointed to the administration's record of appointing qualified women, including women of color, to senior positions. The office noted that its communications director was a Black woman and that only a handful of its employees were white men.
Those staffing figures were offered as part of the county office's response; they do not resolve the specific allegations about Roberson's treatment. Likewise, the EEOC's administrative finding does not amount to a court ruling against Harris County.
The Houston Chronicle reported the lawsuit on 5 November 2026. A separate account published by African American News & Issues on 22 October detailed the HR chronology and administrative proceedings. No final judgment resolving Roberson's claims was identified in the material reviewed.
