MARY PAT THYNGE, Magistrate Judge.
The court now considers defendant Delaware Technical & Community College's ("Del. Tech.") motion to dismiss the complaint and plaintiff, Helen Thibault's ("Thibault") motion to amend her complaint to add a claim against Del. Tech. under Title IX. For the reasons set forth below, Del. Tech.'s motion to dismiss is denied and Thibault's motion for leave to amend her complaint to add a claim against Del. Tech. under Title IX is granted.
Thibault was enrolled in a blackjack training class offered by defendants, Harrington Raceway, Inc. ("Harrington") and Del. Tech. from December 8, 2010 through January 22, 2011. Thibault claims this class was a pre-requisite to employment as a black jack dealer with Harrington. Thibault further alleges during her training, she suffered unlawful sexual discrimination and harassment, was subjected to a hostile work environment, and was unlawfully retaliated against due to her complaints of discrimination and sexual harassment.
Thibault originally filed her claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") and Delaware Department of Labor ("DDOL") on March 22, 2011 against both defendants alleging sexual harassment and retaliation. On or about August 3, 2011, the EEOC issued a right to sue letter against Del. Tech. and subsequently on September 6, 2011, issued a right to sue letter against Harrington. On November 3, 2011, Thibault filed this action. Harrington filed an answer on January 6, 2012, while Del. Tech. responded with a motion to dismiss under FED. R. CIV. P. 12(b)(6) on January 10, 2012.
In analyzing a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6), a review of Rule 8(a)(2) is necessary. It requires a pleading contain a "short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief." That standard "does not require `detailed factual allegations,' but . . . demands more than an unadorned, the-defendant-unlawfully-harmed-me accusation."
To survive a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6), however, the factual allegations must be sufficient to "raise a right to relief above the speculative level, on the assumption that all the allegations in the complaint are true (even if doubtful in fact)."
"Courts generally consider only the allegations contained in the complaint, exhibits attached to the complaint and matters of public record" when reviewing a motion to dismiss.
Del. Tech. asserts Thibault's complaint should be dismissed because it fails to plead sufficient facts substantiating an employment relationship to trigger application of Title VII. In her answering brief, Thibault points to 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(d) (Title VII) that affords protection against discrimination during training programs. In addition, Thibault notes the EEOC Compliance Manual, 2-III(3), which states in pertinent part, "[d]iscrimination against a participant in a . . . training program that is required prior to employment, or that commonly leads to regular employment . . . constitutes discrimination against an applicant for employment."
Del. Tech. argues this provision is inapplicable to the instant matter because taking Thibault's position to its "logical conclusion" would make "every student of every college or university . . . an `employee' of the school for purposes of Title VII."
Although Thibault references the statute and the EEOC Compliance Manual provisions, she cites no cases which address whether the Del. Tech. training program is implicated by the Compliance Manual. In addition, no caselaw within the Third Circuit has been located on this issue. A single decision from the Middle District of Alabama found when a college offered a course that provided participants "unique access to employment opportunities" and "pursuit of employment in the . . . industry was a central and recurring component of the program," the college is an employment agency under Title VII even if it did not work solely with one employer."
In viewing all of the facts in the light most favorable to Thibault, her complaint alleges as a precondition of her employment with Harrington, she was required to attend a training class at Del. Tech. Del. Tech. confirms this requirement in its answer to the Charges of Discrimination filed with the DDOL.
As a second argument, Del. Tech. contends it is not a viable defendant because it did not employ the instructor, Neil Clements ("Clements"), who Thibault alleges harassed her during the training course. Del. Tech. argues it had no control over Clements and cannot be liable for his unlawful conduct. This argument requires the court to weigh facts and determine whether Thibault will ultimately prevail in her claim. At this juncture, the court's role in deciding a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss is whether, accepting all allegations as true, the complaint states a claim under which relief can be granted. Thibault alleges Clements was the course instructor, who engaged in sexually harassing behavior, which detrimentally affected her, and the behavior was reported to Del. Tech. Del. Tech.'s answer to Thibault's Charge of Discrimination states "despite Charging Party's failure to comply with the College's procedure for sexual harassment complaints, the College took immediate action barring Mr. Clements from participating in future training programs associated with the College."
The court ordinarily considers motions to amend the pleadings under Rule 15(a) which provides "leave shall be freely given when justice so requires." Although the determination of whether to grant or deny a motion to amend is within the discretion of the court, under Foman v. Davis,
Generally, "[d]elay alone is not sufficient to justify denial of leave to amend."
In this matter, Thibault requests leave to amend her complaint to include a count under Title IX against Del. Tech. In opposition, Del. Tech. does not claim undue prejudice or being unfairly deprived of a right to present evidence. Del. Tech. merely asserts a Title IX claim "will suffer from the same dearth of factual support as the Title VII claim."
In the absence of any undue prejudice or evidence of the application of the other factors under Foman, Thibault's leave to amend will be granted. Although the court is not inclined at this stage to mandate what information is necessary to state an adequate claim, similar information requested by Del. Tech. would appear to insulate the amendment from a future motion under Rule 12(b)(6).
For the reasons stated above, Del. Tech.'s motion to dismiss Thibault's complaint is denied. Thibault's request for leave to amend her complaint is granted. Her amended complaint, solely to add a claim against Del. Tech. under Title IX, shall be filed within thirty days.
Consistent with the findings herein,
IT IS ORDERED and ADJUDGED that defendant Delaware Technical & Community College's motion to dismiss the Complaint (D.I. 8) is DENIED.
Plaintiff's request for leave to amend her Complaint (D.I.10) is GRANTED.
Plaintiff shall file an amended complaint solely to add a claim under Title IX against defendant Delaware Technical & Community College on or before