FERNANDO J. GAITAN, Jr., District Judge.
Currently pending before the Court is defendant Ford Motor Company ("Ford's") Motion to Dismiss (Doc. # 7),United Auto Workers Local 249 Union ("UAW's") Motion to Dismiss (Doc. # 20) and plaintiff's Motion for Leave to File An Amended Complaint (Doc. 28), UAW's Motion for Extension of Time to Respond to Plaintiff's Motion for Leave to File An Amended Complaint (Doc. # 33), Plaintiff's Motion for Discovery (Doc. # 35) and Defendants' Motion for Extension of Time to File Dispositive Motions (Doc. # 38).
Plaintiff's initial Complaint was filed on July 18, 2016. In her initial Complaint, plaintiff alleged claims against the defendants for violations of Title VII, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Americans with Disabilities Act and the Missouri Human Rights Act. Ford filed a Motion to Dismiss on November 15, 2016. On December 7, 2016, plaintiff was directed to show cause on or before December 30, 2016 why the Motion to Dismiss should not be granted. Plaintiff filed a one sentence response on December 30, 2016 just stating that she requested that the Court not grant the defendants' Motions to Dismiss and that she wished to continue to trial. On January 26, 2017, defendant UAW filed a Motion to Dismiss. On February 27, 2017, the court directed plaintiff to file a substantive response to the Motions to Dismiss on or before March 20, 2017. On March 20, 2017, plaintiff filed a response stating that after the filing of her initial Complaint, she discovered a great deal more information that should be brought before the court. Plaintiff then proceeded to list various causes of action such as breach of fiduciary duty, negligence, Americans with Disabilities Act, Breach of Contract, Wrongful Termination, deprivation of rights pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act. On April 24, 2017, plaintiff delivered to the Court a forty-one page pleading entitled "Amended Civil Complaint" in which she provides additional details regarding the above referenced causes of action. Attached to the Amended Complaint are hundreds of pages of medical and mental health reports, statements and grievances. However, plaintiff did not file this pleading with the Court, nor does it appear from the Certificate of Service that she served this pleading on opposing counsel. On May 3, 2017, the Court directed plaintiff to file a Motion requesting leave to file the Amended Complaint. The Court instructed plaintiff to explain the reasons why she was seeking leave to amend her Complaint after the expiration of the deadline and also indicate whether she intended to continue asserting the claims in her initial Complaint for violations of for Title VII, ADEA and the Missouri Human Rights Act or whether she concedes that these claims are time barred.
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To survive a motion to dismiss under 12(b)(6), "a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to state a claim for relief that is plausible on its face."
In her Motion for Leave to File an Amended Complaint, plaintiff states that the "amended complaint maintains the counts and allegations against the same defendants from the original complaint, but accounts for the significant factual and procedural developments that have occurred since the original complaint was filed." (Motion to Amend, pp. 1-2). Plaintiff then states that she has been at a disadvantage in this case from the beginning due to severe injuries she suffered in a fire in December 2016. Plaintiff states that the side effects of being in a medically induced coma hampered her memory and as a result, her ability to meet the deadlines in the Scheduling and Trial Order. Additionally, plaintiff states that "[n]one of the factors that may militate against granting a motion to amend is present in this case. Plaintiff moved swiftly to file these papers once the Supreme Court's ruling issued and administrative proceedings resumed
The only significant difference that the Court can discern between the original complaint and the amended Complaint, are the causes of action. In the initial Complaint, plaintiff asserted causes of action under Title VII, Age Discrimination in Employment Act ("ADEA"), Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA") and Missouri Human Rights Act ("MHRA"). In the Amended Complaint, plaintiff again alleges violation of ADA, but also adds the the following counts: 42 U.S.C. § 1983; Breach of Fiduciary Duty; Negligence; Breach of Contract and Wrongful Termination.
Defendants argue that the Motion for Leave to Amend should be denied because: 1) plaintiff failed to demonstrate good cause and 2) any amendment would be futile. Defendants state that the deadline in the Scheduling Order to file amended pleadings was February 24, 2017, however, plaintiff did not deliver her amended complaint to the Court until April 24, 2017, two months past the deadline. As noted above, "[g]ood cause requires a change in circumstance, law, or newly discovered facts."
The original complaint was filed on July 18, 2016. Plaintiff's Amended Complaint was received by the Clerk's Office on April 24, 2017. The factual premise of both the original and amended complaints is the same, plaintiff has not added any new factual information to her amended complaint, that she did not possess before. Nor has plaintiff alleged that there have been any changes in the laws relating to her claims. The only change in circumstance that plaintiff has alleged is that she was severely injured during a fire in December. But, this was six months after the original complaint was filed and all of the facts and information contained in the amended complaint were known to plaintiff before she was injured. Thus, the Court does not find that plaintiff has satisfied the good cause standard for filing an Amended Complaint. However, even if plaintiff had been able to satisfy this standard, the Court still finds that the Motion to Amend should be denied because any amendment would be futile.
Defendants state that the motion for leave to file an amended complaint should also be denied because the amendments would be futile, as they could not withstand a motion to dismiss. The Court will examine each of the counts alleged in plaintiff's Amended Complaint to determine if there are any viable claims.
In this count, plaintiff states that on July 20, 2013, she was pinned between two F150 trucks. Plaintiff states that Ford refused to allow her to seek medical treatment or to call paramedics. Plaintiff states that she has been denied medical treatment and was threatened with termination if she did not release her work injury claims. Plaintiff claims that Ford neglected its duties to plaintiff with regard to her injuries and did not take the appropriate steps until after the incident to improve the work place conditions.
Plaintiff states that she was injured while working on the job for Ford and these injuries left her with permanent disabilities. Plaintiff states that despite the Union's involvement, Ford failed to accommodate her disabilities. Ford argues that plaintiff's claim appears to focus on the alleged failure to accommodate during her employment as opposed to the termination of her employment. Ford argues that regardless plaintiff's claims would be untimely. Plaintiff filed her Charge of Discrimination on March 25, 2016. Ford argues that plaintiff was terminated in February 2015 and thus any arguments regarding its failure to accommodate plaintiff's disabilities during her employment would be time barred.
Plaintiff alleges that Ford terminated her on February 4, 2015, but she also alleges that she did not find out that she had been terminated until July 31, 2015. "[T]he time for filing a claim with the EEOC starts running on the date when the employee receives a definite notice of the termination, not upon [her] discharge."
Finding that the claim is timely however, is only one hurdle that plaintiff's claim must surpass. Plaintiff must also sufficiently plead that her termination was based on her disability. "In order to establish a prima facie case of disability discrimination under the ADA and MHRA, Plaintiff must show: she is disabled as defined in 42 U.S.C. §12102(2); (2) she is qualified to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation; and (3) she has suffered an adverse employment action because of her disability."
(Plaintiff's Proposed Amended Complaint, p. 22). These allegations do not include any reference to plaintiff's termination or that Ford terminated her because of her disability. The allegations relate only to plaintiff's claim that Ford failed to accommodate her after her injuries. However, as discussed above, because these injuries occurred in 2007-2013, they are outside the limitation period. Accordingly, the Court finds that any amendment based on a violation of the ADA would be futile.
Plaintiff alleges that Ford denied her medical attention in connection with an incident that occurred on July 20, 2013 and the Union failed to aid plaintiff in the enforcement of workmen's compensation policies concerning workplace injuries. Plaintiff alleges that the Union failed to enforce the medical restrictions that had been placed on plaintiff. Plaintiff states that the Union by "not acting in their fiduciary capacity, the Union acted in complicit fashion with FORD to deprive the Plaintiff of their right to receive emergency medical treatment, and continued in such denial through the harassment the Plaintiff endured when the Plaintiff voiced in opposition to FORD who denied the Plaintiff emergency medical treatment at the time of the injury incident. The Union Representative failed to act [in] the Plaintiff's best interest." (Proposed Amended Complaint, pp. 23-24).
Defendants argue that the proposed breach of fiduciary duty claim could not withstand a motion to dismiss because it is preempted under the Missouri Workers' Compensation law.
(4) there must be an automatic and habitual manipulation of the actions of the subservient party by the dominant party; and (5) there must be a showing that the subservient party places a trust and confidence in the dominant party.
In her proposed amended Negligence claim, plaintiff stated that it is her position that "the employer's (FORD) negligence, having occurred during the course of the Plaintiff's employment, gives rise to a compensable claim under Workmen's Compensation." Plaintiff then proceeds to cite to cases from other jurisdictions. Plaintiff then concludes her claim by stating:
(Proposed Amended Complaint, p. 28). As noted above, the court finds that such negligence claims are preempted by the Missouri Workmen's Compensation statute. Indeed, plaintiff seems to acknowledge this in her proposed Amended complaint stating: "[i]t is the Plaintiff's position, however, that the employer's (FORD) negligence, having occurred during the course of plaintiff's employment, gives rise to a compensable claim under Workmen's Compensation. . . ." (Proposed Amended Complaint, p. 27). Thus, the Court finds that such an amendment would be futile, due to the preemption of the claim.
In her Breach of Contract claim plaintiff alleges that the Union failed to protect her when the supervisory staff failed to provide medical attention to the Plaintiff. Plaintiff also alleges that the Union failed to act in her best interests when she was threatened with termination for seeking a reasonable accommodation due to her work related injuries and for seeking outside medical attention. Plaintiff also alleges that the Union failed to act in a fiduciary manner when Ford threatened her with termination for filing a workmen's compensation claim and unemployment.
Defendants argue that such a claim would not withstand a motion to dismiss because plaintiff has not alleged exhaustion of the grievance/arbitration procedures set forth by the collective bargaining agreement. Defendants state that because the contract which plaintiff is alleging was breached is the collective bargaining agreement between Ford and the UAW, § 301 of the Labor Management Relations Act applies and plaintiff "is required to attempt to exhaust any grievance or arbitration remedies provided in the collective bargaining agreement."
In the factual portion of plaintiff's proposed Amended Complaint plaintiff states that on August 17, 2015, she went in grievance. In October 2015, plaintiff states that she went to the U.S. Government of Nationals union and is still in grievance eight months later. These alleged facts seem to indicate that plaintiff has started the grievance procedure with the Union, but it does not appear that at the time that plaintiff filed her proposed Amended Complaint, those proceedings had concluded. Thus, the Court finds that plaintiff's proposed amended breach of contract claim could not withstand a motion to dismiss because plaintiff has failed to plead all the necessary elements of the breach of contract claim.
Plaintiff also asserts a claim for wrongful termination. Plaintiff states that she was threatened with termination if she filed for unemployment. Plaintiff also alleges that Ford denied her medical treatment and threatened her with termination if she did not release all of her occupational injury claims. Plaintiff also alleges that she reported Ford's unsafe work place conditions to OSHA and she filed health and safety claims against Ford. In her proposed amended complaint, plaintiff alleged that she was working under the collective bargaining agreement that was negotiated by the UAW. (Proposed Amended Complaint, p. 36).
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In her original complaint, plaintiff alleged claims for violations of Title VII, ADEA, Americans with Disabilities Act and the Missouri Human Rights Act. In her Motion for Leave to Amend, plaintiff stated that the Amended Complaint maintains the counts and allegations from the original compliant but accounts for the specific factual and procedural developments that have occurred since the original complaint was filed.
As the Court discussed above with regard to the ADA claim, the Title VII, Age Discrimination and Missouri Human Rights Act claims would also be untimely. Title VII and the ADEA also require that they be filed with 300 days of the discriminatory action. In the original complaint, plaintiff states that she was put on involuntary leave on January 21, 2014 due to injuries that she sustained and despite union involvement, the company failed to return her to work that she can perform. Plaintiff also alleges that she was assaulted by an HR Rep in November 2014 and that no action was taken toward the person that assaulted her. As noted earlier, plaintiff filed her Charge of Discrimination on March 25, 2016. So, any alleged discriminatory events occurring in 2014 would be untimely. Even if the Court were to assume that plaintiff was alleging that her termination (which she allegedly learned about on July 31, 2015) violated these statutes, she has not alleged that her termination was due to her race, color, sex or age or disability. In her original Complaint, plaintiff states only:
(Initial Complain, Doc. #5, p. 6). Plaintiff makes a similar claim against the Union in her initial complaint alleging that despite being a member since 2007, the Union did not take the necessary steps to return her back to work.
Accordingly, for the reasons stated above, the Court hereby