Rancho Cucamonga employment suit alleges discrimination, retaliation and wrongful termination

Huprich Law Firm says it filed a San Bernardino County Superior Court lawsuit on behalf of a 58-year-old construction professional who alleges McGuire Builders discriminated against him, denied accommodations and fired him after his wife suffered a medical crisis in Texas. The complaint seeks at least $2.5 million in damages and a jury trial.

Why it matters: - The case tests California workplace protections tied to age, disability association, accommodation and retaliation. - The complaint says the disputed actions cost the plaintiff salary, benefits, housing support and health coverage during a family medical emergency. - The lawsuit could add to pressure on employers handling workers with medical or family-care obligations.

What happened: - Huprich Law Firm filed the lawsuit on July 2, 2026, in San Bernardino County Superior Court, Rancho Cucamonga Courthouse. - The plaintiff is a 58-year-old construction industry professional with more than 35 years of project management experience. - The complaint names McGuire Builders, Inc. and Does 1 through 10 as defendants. - Attorney Joseph J. Huprich represents the plaintiff. - McGuire Builders hired the plaintiff in August 2024 as a Senior Project Manager/Senior Superintendent at a base annual salary of $150,000 plus potential bonuses and benefits. - The company assigned the plaintiff to a project in San Antonio, Texas. - The complaint says the plaintiff worked without performance problems until March 2025, when his wife was hospitalized in Texas with a serious medical condition. - On or about March 14, 2025, McGuire Builders Co-President Mike Tande allegedly told the plaintiff he was being removed from the Texas project and should return to California for a review meeting and possible reassignment.

The details: - The complaint alleges the plaintiff said his wife could not travel because of her medical condition and that he needed to stay in Texas while she received treatment. - The lawsuit says Tande asked whether it would be better for the plaintiff's wife to be in California for healthcare. - The plaintiff alleges he did not request leave and did not say he could not keep doing his job. - The complaint says McGuire Builders then removed him from the project, told project personnel not to communicate with him, cut off salary and benefits, and pressured him to return to California or give a firm return date. - The lawsuit says the company later described his status as involuntary unpaid leave pending reassignment. - The complaint contends that description conflicted with the alleged stop in pay and benefits and the way the company treated the employment relationship. - The lawsuit says McGuire Builders repeatedly demanded that the plaintiff return to California or commit to a return date while his wife remained hospitalized. - The complaint alleges the company ended health insurance, stopped paying for the hotel where the plaintiff and his wife were staying, failed to pay about 30 days of lodging expenses and demanded the immediate return of a company vehicle. - The complaint asserts seven causes of action: discrimination under California Government Code section 12940(a); failure to prevent discrimination and harassment under section 12940(k); retaliation under section 12940(h); failure to engage in the interactive process under section 12940(n); failure to provide reasonable accommodation under section 12940(m); wrongful termination in violation of public policy; and intentional infliction of emotional distress. - The lawsuit alleges the plaintiff's age, his association with a person with a serious medical condition, and his protected activity were substantial motivating reasons for the adverse actions. - The complaint says the plaintiff received a right-to-sue notice from the California Civil Rights Department and exhausted administrative remedies. - The plaintiff seeks recovery for lost salary and benefits, compensatory and general damages, emotional distress damages, attorneys' fees and costs, punitive damages, prejudgment interest, restitutionary damages and injunctive relief. - The complaint seeks at least $1 million in actual, consequential and incidental financial losses, at least $1 million in compensatory and general damages, and at least $500,000 in attorneys' fees and costs, according to proof. - The plaintiff also demanded a jury trial.

Between the lines: - The case centers on how an employer handles a worker when a family medical emergency overlaps with a job assignment away from home. - The complaint frames the company’s actions as both a discrimination issue and a leave/accommodation issue. - The plaintiff's theory appears to be that McGuire Builders treated a personal medical crisis as a reason to sever compensation and benefits rather than engage in an interactive process. - The allegations have not been adjudicated, and McGuire Builders can contest them in court.

What's next: - The defendants are expected to respond and present defenses in the litigation process. - The court will decide how the claims proceed, including any motions, discovery and potential settlement talks. - The plaintiff is seeking damages and injunctive relief, along with a jury trial.

The bottom line: - The lawsuit alleges McGuire Builders pushed out a senior construction manager after his wife’s medical emergency and then cut off pay, benefits and lodging support.