ELIZABETH A. KOVACHEVICH, District Judge.
This cause is before the Court on:
The Amended Complaint includes the following:
An unexecuted, standardized Client Leasing Agreement is attached as Exhibit A to the Amended Complaint.
Plaintiff seeks declaratory relief, the award of damages, an accounting and disgorgement, an injunction, the award of pre-judgment and post-judgment interest, the award of attorney's fees and costs, and other appropriate relief.
Defendant SouthEast Personnel Leasing, Inc. moves to dismiss Plaintiff's Amended Class Action Complaint (Dkt. 12) for failure to state a claim.
Plaintiff Hugh's Concrete and Masonry Cc. opposes Defendant's Motion.
"Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a)(2), a complaint must contain a "short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief." "[D]etailed factual allegations" are not required,
The Court understands the FDUTPA and breach of contract claims to be based on Defendant's alleged scheme to collect additional revenue from Plaintiff, Defendant's former client, and from Class Members, by deliberately withholding inappropriate amounts from the payroll for leased employees who performed services for Plaintiff and Class Members, in the guise of various tax withholdings which were in excess of the amounts the applicable tax laws required Defendant to withhold, and retaining those amounts as additional service fees without any notice to Plaintiff and Class Members. Plaintiff includes allegations that Defendant deliberately changed its billing practices to include a summary report, which precluded customers from promptly discovering that inappropriate amounts were withheld as to individual leased employees, and which misled customers into believing that Defendant was continuing to remit payments to state and federal governments.
The Court notes that Section VI of the standard Client Leasing Agreement addresses Service Fees:
The Court also notes the Section XI, General Provisions, Paragraphs. A. through V. The Client Leasing Agreement is an integrated contract, and is governed by and construed in accordance with Florida law, excepting conflict of laws. The Agreement is to be interpreted as a whole with reference to its relevant provisions, and in accordance with its fair meaning, and no provision will be construed against SPLI on the basis that SPLI draft the Agreement; the Agreement shall be viewed as prepared jointly by SPLI and Client.
Plaintiff incorporates all of the general factual allegations into Counts I and II, and selected general factual allegations into Count III.
Defendant argues that the Amended Complaint should be dismissed as a "shotgun pleading."
There is only one Defendant in this case, and Plaintiff's claims are stated in separate Counts. The Court discourages pleading in which it is not clear which facts support which cause of action. However, as long as a complaint is minimally sufficient to put a defendant on notice of the claims against him. the complaint will not fail for mere surplusage.
Defendant argues that Plaintiff fails to state a claim under FDUTPA by failing to allege facts to support Plaintiff's legal conclusions that "Plaintiff and Class members are consumers within the meaning of FDUTPA," and "the services provided by Defendant to Plaintiff and the Class ... constitute consumer transactions within the meaning of FDUTPA.' Defendant further argues that Plaintiff does not demonstrate that Defendant engaged in a "deceptive practice" that was "likely to mislead consumers." Defendant also argues that Plaintiff is impermissibly attempting to convert a breach of contract claim into a FDUTPA action.
The Amended Complaint includes allegations which establish that Defendant is in the business of providing employee leasing services, and that Plaintiff entered into a contract with Defendant for Defendant to provide those services to Plaintiff. Defendant SPLI's business meets the definition of "trade or commerce" pursuant to Sec. 501.203(8),
Pursuant to Sec. 501.203(7),
The FDUTPA declares unlawful luinfair methods of competition, unconscionable acts or practices, and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of any trade or commerce. Sec. 501.204(1),
In
After consideration, the Court concludes that the allegations of the Amended Complaint are sufficient, and denies the Motion to Dismiss as to Count I.
The elements of a cause of action for unjust enrichment are: 1) plaintiff conferred a benefit on defendant; 2) defendant voluntarily accepted and retained the benefit; and 3) the circumstances are such that it would be inequitable for defendant to retain the benefit.
Defendant argues that Defendant's alleged overcharges for federal and state taxes is subject matter covered by the express contract, and therefore Plaintiffs unjust enrichment claim cannot survive dismissal.
Plaintiff responds that Count III is pled as an alternative to Count II, the breach of contract claim. Plaintiff argues that at this stage, Defendant has not conceded the existence of the contract or that Defendant's conduct falls within its terms. Plaintiff contends that the allegations of the Amended Complaint are sufficient to state a cause of action for unjust enrichment, and the Motion to Dismiss should be denied.
After consideration, the Court finds that the allegations of the Amended Complaint state a cause of action for unjust enrichment. At this stage, it is permissible to plead in the alternative. The Court denies the Motion to Dismiss as to this issue.
Defendant argues that the Class Action Allegations in the Amended Complaint are insufficient.
Plaintiff responds that Defendant's Motion to Dismiss Class Action Allegations is premature.
The Court will address the propriety of the Class Action Allegations in the context of a motion for class certification. The Court denies the Motion to Dismiss as to this issue. Accordingly, it is