SAUNDRA BROWN ARMSTRONG, District Judge.
Plaintiffs Sandra Hatfield ("Hatfield"), Laurel Antonucci ("Antonucci") and Maureen Patricia Murphy ("Murphy") bring the instant action against their former employer, DaVita Healthcare Partners, Inc.
The parties are presently before the Court on Defendant's Motion to Dismiss Third Amended Complaint for Damages Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). Dkt. 46. Having read and considered the papers filed in connection with this matter and being fully informed, the Court hereby GRANTS the motion to dismiss. The Court, in its discretion, finds this matter suitable for resolution without oral argument.
Defendant operates kidney dialysis clinics throughout the United States, including one located in the Bel-Aire Plaza Shopping Center in Napa, California. Third Am. Compl. ("TAC"). ¶ 4, 10, 12, Dkt. 40. Hatfield and Murphy were employed as nurses at the Napa facility.
On October 4, 2013, Plaintiffs filed the instant action against Defendant in the Napa County Superior Court, alleging six state law causes of action for: (1) constructive discharge in violation of public policy (by Hatfield and Antonucci only); (2) breach of contract; (3) breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; (4) retaliation, failure to prevent harassment, discrimination; (5) fraudulent inducement to accept employment (by Hatfield only); and (6) IIED.
On November 8, 2013, Defendant removed the action on the basis of diversity jurisdiction. Def.'s Not. of Removal, Dkt. 1. Defendant filed a motion to dismiss all causes of action (except the first claim for constructive discharge) for failure to state a claim, which the Court granted with leave to amend. Dkt. 23. Thereafter, Plaintiffs filed a First Amended Complaint on June 9, 2014, a Second Amended Complaint ("SAC") on July 17, 2014, and a TAC on August 29, 2014. Dkt. 24, 31, 40.
Defendant now moves to dismiss the second cause of action for discrimination, insofar as it is based on disability discrimination as to Murphy; the fourth cause of action for retaliation; and the sixth cause of action for IIED. Dkt. 46. The motion has been fully briefed and is ripe for adjudication.
"Dismissal under Rule 12(b)(6) is proper when the complaint either (1) lacks a cognizable legal theory or (2) fails to allege sufficient facts to support a cognizable legal theory."
In assessing the sufficiency of the pleadings, "courts must consider the complaint in its entirety, as well as other sources courts ordinarily examine when ruling on Rule 12(b)(6) motions to dismiss, in particular, documents incorporated into the complaint by reference, and matters of which a court may take judicial notice."
FEHA makes it an unlawful employment practice to discriminate against any person because of a physical or mental disability. Cal. Gov. Code § 12940(a). To "prevail on a discriminatory discharge claim under section 12940(a), an employee bears the burden of showing (1) that he or she was discharged
The pleadings allege that Murphy "qualifies as disabled under FEHA" based on a concussion she suffered after a fall at work, and was terminated "in part because of her . . . disability." TAC ¶¶ 13(D), 36, 37. These allegations are too conclusory to state a plausible claim for disability discrimination. As set forth in the Court's prior order, a plaintiff presenting a claim for employment discrimination must allege
Accordingly, the Court finds that Plaintiffs have failed to state a claim for disability discrimination as to Murphy and GRANTS Defendant's motion to dismiss Plaintiffs' second cause of action as to said claim.
The anti-retaliation provision of FEHA prohibits employers from taking any adverse employment action against an employee who "has opposed any practices forbidden under [§ 12940] or because the person has filed a complaint, testified, or assisted in any proceeding under this part." Cal. Gov't Code § 12940(h). "To state a claim of retaliation under FEHA, a plaintiff must show: (1) he engaged in a protected activity, (2) he was subjected to an adverse employment action, and (3) there is a causal link between the protected activity and the adverse employment action."
In its prior order, the Court explained the factual allegations necessary to state a "plausible" claim for retaliation under FEHA:
Dkt. 23 at 12 (emphasis added).
Plaintiffs now allege that Defendant retaliated against them for complaining about medically unacceptable practices, the mistreatment of Caucasians by Filipino employees, and various "intolerable" working conditions. TAC ¶¶ 13(A), (B), (C), 53. As before, however, the TAC fails to specify
Accordingly, the Court finds that Plaintiffs have failed to state a claim for retaliation and GRANTS Defendant's motion to dismiss Plaintiffs' fourth cause of action.
A claim for IIED requires "(1) extreme and outrageous conduct by the defendant with the intention of causing, or reckless disregard of the probability of causing, emotional distress; (2) the plaintiff's suffering severe or extreme emotional distress; and (3) actual and proximate causation of the emotional distress by the defendant's outrageous conduct."
The Court previously dismissed Plaintiffs' IIED claim based on Plaintiffs' failure to specify the conduct alleged to be extreme and outrageous, or otherwise allege facts establishing that such conduct was directed at them in particular. Dkt. 23 at 14-15. In their TAC, Plaintiffs now aver that Defendant engaged in extreme and outrageous conduct by failing to adequately address their complaints regarding patient care, mistreatment by Filipino employees, and "generally intolerable conditions." TAC ¶¶ 73 (citing TAC ¶ 13(A)-(C)). These allegations are insufficient to show extreme and outrageous conduct.
Even if Plaintiffs had alleged outrageous conduct, insufficient facts are alleged demonstrating that such conduct was intentionally directed at them, or that they suffered severe emotional distress as a result. To sustain an IIED claim, the defendant "must have engaged in `conduct intended to inflict injury or engaged in with the realization that injury will result.'"
Finally, Plaintiffs have failed to adequately allege that they suffered severe or extreme emotional distress. In an entirely vague manner, Plaintiffs allege that they suffered "depression, fear and anxiety about their jobs and lives." TAC ¶ 78. The California Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit have held that these types of amorphous claims of emotional distress are insufficient to demonstrate that the plaintiff suffered severe emotional distress.
Accordingly, the Court finds that Plaintiffs have failed to state a claim for IIED and GRANTS Defendant's motion to dismiss Plaintiffs' sixth cause of action.
"Although leave to amend should be given freely, a district court may dismiss without leave where a plaintiff's proposed amendments would fail to cure the pleading deficiencies and amendment would be futile."
The Court, in its discretion, finds that further leave to amend is not warranted. In its prior order adjudicating Defendant's motion to dismiss, the Court identified the flaws in the original Complaint and type of factual allegations necessary to rectify those deficiencies. In addition, prior to filing the TAC, Plaintiffs were informed by Defendant of the reasons it believed that their three amended complaints failed to adequately state claims for disability discrimination (as to Murphy), retaliation and IIED. Cha Decl. ¶¶ 3-5, Dkt. 46-1. Despite that guidance, Plaintiffs' allegations with respect to the aforementioned claims remain conclusory. In addition, Plaintiffs' opposition presents no new potential factual allegations in response to Defendant's motion, and merely takes the position that the TAC, as alleged, is sufficient. Given the record presented, the Court is therefore persuaded that granting further leave to amend would be futile.
For the reasons set forth above,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT Defendant's motion to dismiss certain of the claims of the TAC is GRANTED. Plaintiffs' second cause of action for disability discrimination as to Murphy, fourth cause of action for retaliation, and sixth cause of action for IIED are DISMISSED without leave to amend.