Exclusivity Bars Lawsuit by Worker Fired After Fight Over PPE

Workers' compensation is the exclusive remedy for the negligence claims of a worker who was fired after getting into a fight with a supervisor over personal protective equipment, a Texas appeals court ruled. Separately, the court held that reporting the altercation and participating in the employer's investigation is not the sort of protected activity that gives rise to a retaliation claim under the state's Human Rights Act. Francisco Garza was a hydroblast technician for USA DeBusk LLC who reported to different crew leaders as he was assigned to different jobsites. On the day in...