20-year courier sues FedEx over firing for boss-approved shortcut

After the termination, the filing states, another manager at the station told customer service agents the worker had been fired “because he’s stupid” – while his internal appeal was still pending.

The appeal that went nowhere

The worker filed a report through FedEx’s internal alert line on the day of his termination and supplemented it multiple times through March 2026, the complaint states. He also pursued FedEx’s Guaranteed Fair Treatment Procedure, the company’s internal appeal process. According to the filing, FedEx told him on March 13, 2026, that “all steps now have been exhausted” and closed the appeal – without reinstating him or providing the documentation he had repeatedly requested. The complaint alleges FedEx shut down the process after only one step of what its own policy describes as three.

Separately, the Texas Workforce Commission investigated the worker’s separation and determined on January 16, 2026, that FedEx had fired the worker “for a reason that was not misconduct connected with the work.”

What the worker wants

The worker filed an EEOC charge on July 24, 2026, and received a right-to-sue letter three days later. The lawsuit brings three claims: age discrimination under federal law, failure to pay overtime, and retaliation for raising the unpaid-hours issue. The complaint alleges FedEx’s violations were willful. The worker is seeking back pay, double damages, reinstatement or equivalent pay going forward, and attorney’s fees.

The complaint estimates he worked at least five hours a week off the clock over the relevant period, at a base rate of $33.84 an hour.