A 60-year-old white Marine Corps veteran is suing Shell, alleging the oil company fired him from his corporate security role as part of a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) fueled reorganization. Thomas Hutt claims his position was given to a less-qualified black man from Nigeria.
Hutt, who worked for Shell USA for nearly 15 years, alleges that during a January 2025 reorganization, his supervisor stated the company was "diversifying the talent" when Hutt and two white colleagues were laid off. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in the Eastern District of Texas by the nonprofit America First Legal, accuses Shell and Hutt's supervisor, Wayne Hunt, of discrimination and retaliation based on race and national origin.
According to the complaint, Hutt, a veteran who served in the Marines from 1984 to 1990, had spent approximately eight years as Shell’s US security manager. He claims the three white employees in the Houston-based Corporate Security Division were uniquely required to compete for their existing roles and identify backup positions, while minority employees were allegedly allowed to retain or move into similar jobs without the same scrutiny.
The lawsuit further alleges that Hunt told one of the white employees he needed to reapply because the supervisor was seeking to "diversify the talent." These actions, the suit contends, are connected to Shell's stated diversity goals, including an objective to achieve 15% ethnic-minority representation in senior management by 2027.
Hutt and his two colleagues filed internal discrimination complaints on January 23, 2025. Forty days later, Hutt was informed he had not been selected for any position in the reorganized department, and his employment ended on May 31, 2025. The complaint states that Hutt’s replacement previously worked in Shell's Business Integrity operation in Lagos, Nigeria, investigating fraud, and lacked substantial experience in executive protection and securing corporate assets, duties central to Hutt’s former role.
In contrast, Hutt had consistently received strong performance reviews. A 2021 assessment from Hunt described him as "the engine of Corporate Security in the USA" and a go-to source for technical security advice. The lawsuit also points to an alleged disregard for an internal "incumbent preference" policy that was meant to favor existing employees for similar roles.
Additionally, the complaint suggests a pattern of discriminatory replacements. It alleges that before Hutt and his colleagues were terminated, Hunt replaced a regional security adviser with an individual from Argentina and a US intelligence analyst with an analyst based in Mexico who was not a US citizen.
Hutt filed a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on March 6, 2025, and received a notice of his right to sue on June 4, 2026. He is seeking back pay, future lost earnings, compensatory and punitive damages, and attorneys' fees. Shell has issued a statement refuting the allegations, asserting that "Our employment decisions are based on merit and performance."