LOUISE W. FLANAGAN, District Judge.
This matter is before the court on defendant's motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6). (DE 6). Plaintiff responded in opposition to the motion, and defendant timely replied. In this posture, the issues raised are ripe for ruling. For the reasons that follow, defendant's motion is granted, and plaintiff is allowed time to file a motion to amend her complaint.
Plaintiff initiated this action
Defendant filed the instant motion to dismiss on April 9, 2018, arguing that plaintiff has failed to exhaust her administrative remedies, and otherwise failed to state a claim under any of the statutes she alleges. In support thereof, defendant relies upon a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charge of discrimination filed May 20, 2017 (hereinafter, the "EEOC charge of discrimination") (DE 7-1).
The facts alleged in the complaint can be summarized as follows. Plaintiff began employment with defendant on or about March 13, 2002. (Compl. ¶ 6). In or about August 2010, plaintiff suffered from an on the job injury with defendant which left her needing surgery on her right ankle. (
In or around June 2016, plaintiff was asked by her Assistant Store Manager, Melody Walsh ("Walsh"), if she wanted to open her availability so she could work in other positions in the store in addition to the position of Fitting Room Associate, even though defendant was aware of plaintiff's disability and need for accommodations. (
On or about July 29, 2016, plaintiff suffered another on the job injury when the stool she was sitting on collapsed. (
Plaintiff alleges that defendant's failure to accommodate her disability was really a pretext for discrimination. (
A motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(1) challenges the court's subject matter jurisdiction. Such motion may either 1) assert the complaint fails to state facts upon which subject matter jurisdiction may be based, or 2) attack the existence of subject matter jurisdiction in fact, apart from the complaint.
"To survive a motion to dismiss" under Rule 12(b)(6), "a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to `state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.'"
Plaintiff first claims that defendant discriminated against her on the basis her disability. 42 U.S.C. § 12112.
To establish a prima facie case of wrongful discharge under the ADA, plaintiff must show "(1) [s]he is within the ADA's protected class; (2) [s]he was discharged; (3) at the time of [her] discharge, [s]he was performing the job at a level that met [her] employer's legitimate expectations; and (4) [her] discharge occurred under circumstances that raise a reasonable inference of unlawful discrimination."
"In determining whether an employee was performing at a level that met the employees legitimate expectations, it is the perception of the decision maker which is relevant, not the self-assessment of the plaintiff."
Plaintiff has adequately alleged that she was performing her job at a level that met her employer's legitimate expectations. Specifically, plaintiff has alleged that she "was never previously disciplined or counseled for any performance or conduct issues." (Compl. ¶ 17). Having never been disciplined before by defendant is a factual allegation providing circumstantial evidence that plaintiff was performing her job at a level that met defendant's legitimate expectations.
However, plaintiff fails to allege facts in her complaint which create a reasonable inference of unlawful discrimination. Plaintiff's sole allegation with respect to her discharge is that "[o]n or about April 7, 2017, Brown was suspended without pay, and subsequently terminated on April 12, 2017 for alleged gross misconduct." (Compl. ¶ 16). This allegation is insufficient to raise a reasonable inference of unlawful discrimination. The only allegation that plaintiff makes that could even remotely suggests she was discriminated against was Walsh reduced her hours because plaintiff refused to work in other positions in the store in addition to Fitting Room Associate in June 2016. (
Plaintiff argues in response to defendant's motion a number of additional facts which she asks the court to consider, including alleged testimony of two witnesses and text messages from another assistant store manager asserting that defendant terminated plaintiff because of her disability. If properly pleaded, these allegations could raise a reasonable inference of discrimination. However, a 12(b)6) motion only allows the court to consider facts pleaded in plaintiff's complaint.
Accordingly, plaintiff's wrongful termination claim will be dismissed without prejudice, with opportunity to file a motion to amend and proposed amended complaint by the deadline established below.
Plaintiff claims that defendant discriminated because of her disability by failing to accommodate her as required by the ADA. 42 U.S.C. § 12112(5)(A).
Before a plaintiff can file a lawsuit in federal court alleging discrimination under the ADA, she must first timely exhaust her administrative remedies by filing a charge with the EEOC within 180 days of the alleged adverse action. 42 U.S.C. § 12117(a);
In order to successfully state a failure to accommodate claim, plaintiff must show "(1) that [she] was an individual who had a disability within the meaning of the statute; (2) that the employer had notice of [her] disability; (3) that with reasonable accommodation [she] could perform the essential functions of the position; and (4) that the employer refused to make such accommodations."
Reasonable accommodations may include "job restructuring, part-time or modified work schedules, reassignment to a vacant position, acquisition or modification of equipment or devices, appropriate adjustment or modifications of examinations, training materials or policies, the provision of qualified readers or interpreters, and other similar accommodations for individuals with disabilities." 42 U.S.C. § 12111.
Plaintiff's claim for failure to accommodate fails because plaintiff has not exhausted her administrative remedies as to that claim. Plaintiff's EEOC charge of discrimination does not articulate plaintiff's basis for failure to accommodate, merely stating "I have a disability and needed a reasonable accommodation to perform my job. Respondent was aware of my disability and my need for an accommodation." (DE 1-1). The claim is not one "developed by reasonable investigation of the original complaint" because several essential details are missing from the EEOC charge of discrimination, such as when plaintiff asked for an accommodation, what accommodation was denied, when such accommodation was denied, and whether plaintiff would be able to perform the essential functions of her job without the accommodation.
In any event, plaintiff also has not alleged facts sufficient to support a failure to accommodate claim. The only disability accommodation that plaintiff allegedly requested was to be "able to lift no more than 25 pounds and being able to sit on a stool for 15 minutes of every hour." (Compl. ¶ 10). Defendant accommodated this request by "transferring [her] to the role of Fitting Room Associate. (
Plaintiff's failure to accommodate claim is dismissed without prejudice for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and failure to state a claim.
Plaintiff asserts that defendant unlawfully discriminated against her on the basis of her disability in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1981. (Compl. ¶¶ 35-39). The statute provides:
42 U.S.C. § 1981. "[T]he provision was meant, by its broad terms, to proscribe discrimination in the making or enforcement of contracts against, or in favor of, any race."
Here, plaintiff is not alleging discrimination on the basis of race, but on the basis of disability and sexual orientation. Therefore, her complaint fails to state a claim with respect to § 1981 and is dismissed with prejudice.
Finally, plaintiff alleges that defendant discriminated against her on the basis of her sex and sexual orientation. (Compl. ¶¶ 40-46).
Title VII makes it unlawful for an employer "to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. . . ." 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2. "The ultimate question in every employment discrimination case involving a claim of disparate treatment is whether the plaintiff was the victim of intentional discrimination."
Here, plaintiff has failed to state a claim with regard to discrimination on the basis of sex. Apart from conclusively asserting "she was terminated for reasons that heterosexual females and males were not" and "defendant's disparate treatment in its discipline and termination of Plaintiff was motivated by her sex, female," (Compl. ¶¶ 19, 42), plaintiff does not raise any factual allegations which would support a claim of sex discrimination.
Based on the foregoing, defendant's motion to dismiss (DE 6) is GRANTED. Plaintiff's claims are DISMISSED for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and failure to state a claim. Plaintiff is ALLOWED until
SO ORDERED.