Veteran sues Shell, claiming DEI-driven layoff and mockery with "tear jar"

Marine veteran Thomas Hutt has filed a federal lawsuit against Shell, alleging he was forced out and replaced by a less-qualified employee during a diversity-focused reorganization.

Thomas Hutt, a former Marine anti-tank missileman and longtime Shell security manager, sued the oil company in federal court, claiming he was removed during a January 2025 corporate-security overhaul that prioritized “diversifying the talent.” According to the filing, Shell replaced him with a Nigerian staffer from its Business Integrity unit, whose background did not include executive protection. Hutt and two other white employees were given a novelty “tear jar” by supervisor Wayne Hunt, which the complaint says mocked their dismissals.

America First Legal filed the case in the Eastern District of Texas, alleging discrimination and retaliation based on race and national origin. The suit also references Shell’s public goal of 15 % ethnic-minority representation in senior management by 2027. Hutt filed an EEOC charge earlier in the year and now seeks back wages, compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and other relief. Shell denied the allegations, stating its employment decisions are merit-based.