R. BRYAN HARWELL, District Judge.
This matter is before the Court for consideration of Plaintiff's objections to the Report and Recommendation ("R & R") of United States Magistrate Judge Kaymani D. West.
The Magistrate Judge makes only a recommendation to the Court. The Magistrate Judge's recommendation has no presumptive weight, and the responsibility to make a final determination remains with the Court. Mathews v. Weber, 423 U.S. 261, 270-71 (1976). The Court must conduct a de novo review of those portions of the R & R to which specific objections are made, and it may accept, reject, or modify, in whole or in part, the recommendation of the Magistrate Judge or recommit the matter with instructions. 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1); Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(b).
The Court must engage in a de novo review of every portion of the Magistrate Judge's report to which objections have been filed. Id. However, the Court need not conduct a de novo review when a party makes only "general and conclusory objections that do not direct the [C]ourt to a specific error in the [M]agistrate [Judge]'s proposed findings and recommendations." Orpiano v. Johnson, 687 F.2d 44, 47 (4th Cir. 1982). In the absence of specific objections to the R & R, the Court reviews only for clear error, Diamond v. Colonial Life & Acc. Ins. Co., 416 F.3d 310, 315 (4th Cir. 2005), and the Court need not give any explanation for adopting the Magistrate Judge's recommendation. Camby v. Davis, 718 F.2d 198, 199-200 (4th Cir. 1983).
Plaintiff Marcus D. Kelly, proceeding pro se, filed this employment action against his former employer, QVC ("Defendant"),
Initially, the Court notes Plaintiff does not specifically object to the Magistrate Judge's construction of his particular Title VII, ADA, and ADEA claims. The Court reiterates that absent a specific objection, it need only review the R & R for clear error and need not explain its reason for adopting a proposed finding. See Diamond, 416 F.3d at 315; Camby, 718 F.2d at 199-200. The Court discerns no clear error in the Magistrate Judge's interpretation of Plaintiff's claims and will address them below.
The Magistrate Judge recommends dismissing Plaintiff's claims of (a) retaliation under Title VII, the ADA, and the ADEA, (b) national origin and religion discrimination under Title VII, and (c) disability discrimination under the ADA because he failed to exhaust his administrative remedies as to these claims.
The Magistrate Judge recommends dismissing Plaintiff's remaining claims—(a) Title VII race, color, and gender/sex discrimination claims and (b) ADEA discrimination claims—pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim. See R & R at pp. 12-19. Plaintiff objects to this recommendation. See ECF No. 39 at pp. 1, 3-4.
"To survive a Rule 12(b)(6) motion, the complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face." Elliott v. Am. States Ins. Co., 883 F.3d 384, 395 (4th Cir. 2018) (quoting Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009), and Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570 (2007)). "[A] plaintiff must provide sufficient detail to show that he has a more-than-conceivable chance of success on the merits." Upstate Forever v. Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P., 887 F.3d 637, 645 (4th Cir. 2018) (alterations omitted).
Title VII prohibits an employer from terminating an employee on the basis of, inter alia, race, color, and sex, see 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a)(1), and the ADEA prohibits such termination on the basis of age. See 29 U.S.C. § 623(a)(1). "[A]lthough the plaintiff need not plead facts that constitute a prima facie case under the framework of McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792 (1973), in order to survive a motion to dismiss, Swierkiewicz v. Sorema N.A., 534 U.S. 506, 510-15 (2002), a civil rights plaintiff retains the burden of alleging facts sufficient to state a claim entitling her to relief." Harman v. Unisys Corp., 356 F. App'x 638, 640 (4th Cir. 2009); see Goode v. Cent. Virginia Legal Aid Soc'y, Inc., 807 F.3d 619, 627 (4th Cir. 2015) (considering Title VII and ADEA claims in the context of Rule 12(b)(6)); Coleman v. Maryland Court of Appeals, 626 F.3d 187, 191 (4th Cir. 2010) (analyzing a Title VII claim under Rule 12(b)(6)), aff'd, 566 U.S. 30 (2012).
Plaintiff's allegations are thoroughly summarized in the R & R, and the Magistrate Judge recommends finding he has failed to state any Title VII claims (for race, color, and gender/sex) or any ADEA discrimination claims because his allegations are insufficient to make out a plausible claim of disparate treatment. See R & R at pp. 14-19. The Court agrees with the Magistrate Judge. Plaintiff's complaint alleges in conclusory fashion that he was terminated because of his race, color, gender/sex, and age, but it does not contain sufficient facts making those claims plausible. See Elliott, 883 F.3d at 395. As it stands, Plaintiff's complaint indicates he was fired because a coworker obtained a restraining order against him, not because he was a certain race, color, gender/sex, or age. Thus, dismissal of such claims is warranted under Rule 12(b)(6).
However, as both the Magistrate Judge and Defendant acknowledge, amendment could potentially cure the deficiencies in Plaintiff's Title VII race, color, and gender/sex discrimination claims and his ADEA discrimination claims. See R & R at pp. 17-19; ECF No. 26 at p. 12. "The court should freely give leave [to amend] when justice so requires," Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a)(2), and the Fourth Circuit has recognized a court should not dismiss employment discrimination claims with prejudice if amendment is possible. See Harman, 356 F. App'x at 640; see, e.g., Goode, 807 F.3d at 630 (remanding to the district court with instructions to allow the plaintiff to amend his complaint that alleged Title VII and ADEA claims). The Court will therefore dismiss these claims without prejudice and with leave to amend, as indicated below.
For the foregoing reasons, the Court
However, as to Plaintiff's Title VII race, color, and gender/sex discrimination claims and his ADEA discrimination claims, Plaintiff may file an amended complaint as to these claims within