EEOC: tree care firm hired 1,900 men, shut women out of field jobs

A Texas tree services company hired more than 1,900 men for field roles over four and a half years – and no more than 12 women, the EEOC alleges.

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed suit against Sequoias Tree Expert, LLC on September 30, 2026, in the Southern District of Texas, claiming the company ran a company-wide practice of refusing to hire women for field positions including groundsman, trimmer, foreman, and driver roles.

The complaint centers on a female applicant with years of experience in the tree trimming industry, including work as a foreman, groundsman, and trimmer. According to the filing, she applied for a groundsman position with Sequoias on or around February 17, 2025, after being recruited by a man who had been hired as – or had applied for – a general foreman role with the company.