A former Shell security manager has filed a lawsuit against the oil company, alleging he was forcibly removed from his position during a diversity-driven reorganization and replaced by a less qualified individual. Thomas Hutt, a 60-year-old Marine Corps veteran from Rusk, Texas, claims he was displaced in January 2025 while overseeing security for Shell’s U.S. oil facilities.

According to the lawsuit, Shell aimed to “diversify the talent” within its corporate security division, resulting in the termination of Hutt and two other white colleagues. Hutt’s complaint identifies the employee who took over his responsibilities as a black man from Nigeria whose professional experience was primarily in a different field. The suit contends that this reorganization was discriminatory and that the replacement was not as qualified for the role.

The complaint also describes an incident during the layoffs in which Hutt and his two colleagues were presented with a “tear jar,” a novelty item allegedly intended to mock the workers’ dismissal. The lawsuit calls the gesture indicative of “deliberate indifference toward the discriminatory consequences” of Shell’s restructuring. The other two former employees previously filed lawsuits on similar claims last year; those legal actions remain pending.

The legal case was brought by America First Legal, a nonprofit law firm, and was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Hutt is seeking back pay, including compensation for earnings lost since his departure, as well as compensatory and punitive damages, attorney fees, and other remedies.

A spokesperson for Shell responded, stating, “We do not tolerate discrimination and strongly refute these allegations.” The company did not provide additional comment. The case highlights ongoing tensions surrounding corporate diversity programs and their impact on workforce management decisions.