You need proof your employer knew about the disability, took a hit at your job because of it, and gave a fake reason for it. That is the spine of an ADA case.

Picture this: a Houston veteran starts a new job after graduation season, tells HR about PTSD and VA treatment appointments, asks for a later start time twice a month, and hands over a doctor's note. Two weeks later, the supervisor starts emailing about "attendance problems," pulls the employee off customer-facing work, and then fires him for "not fitting the culture." Meanwhile, coworkers with similar attendance issues but no disclosed disability keep their jobs. That is the kind of fact pattern that moves a case.

What matters most:

• Proof of disability or perceived disability: VA records, doctor notes, work restrictions, accommodation paperwork, emails to HR.
• Proof the employer knew: emails, texts, HR portal submissions, meeting notes, witness statements.
• Proof of an adverse action: firing, demotion, reduced hours, write-ups, denied training, pay cuts.
• Proof the stated reason is weak or false: attendance records, performance reviews, comparators, shifting explanations.
• Proof you asked for help: requests for accommodation, follow-up emails, denied schedule changes, refusal to discuss options.

In Houston, you usually file with the EEOC and often cross-file with the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division. Under federal law, the EEOC charge deadline is usually 300 days. Under Texas law, the TWC deadline is 180 days. Miss the deadline and your evidence may not matter.

Do not rely on one "smoking gun" comment. Most employers are too trained for that. Cases are usually built from timing, paper trails, and comparisons.

If the employer is a federal agency or federal contractor, the rules can shift, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act may also apply. If the issue is tied to medical leave for VA treatment, keep every scheduling email and attendance record. That is often where the lie shows.