Bellow v. Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University

913 F. Supp. 2d 279, 20 Wage & Hour Cas.2d (BNA) 230, 2012 WL 6697180, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 181512
District Court, E.D. Louisiana·Decided December 21, 2012·No. Civil Action No. 12-1529·Published·Cited by 9 cases

Opinion

ORDER AND REASONS

CARL J. BARBIER, District Judge.

Before the Court are Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss (Rec. Doc. 6), Plaintiffs opposition to same (Rec. Doc. 7), and Defendants’ reply thereto (Rec. Doc. 10). Defendants’ motion was set for hearing on December 5, 2012, on the briefs, without oral argument. Having considered the motion and legal memoranda, the record, and the applicable law, the Court finds that Defendants’ motion should be GRANTED in part and DENIED in part for the reasons set out more fully below.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY AND BACKGROUND FACTS

This action arises out of claims for monetary damages and equitable relief under the Family and Medical Leave Act, 29 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq., the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., and the Louisiana Disability Discrimination Act, La. R.S. § 23:322 et seq. On June 15, 2012, Plaintiff, Kristie Bellow (“Ms. Bellow”), filed this action naming as Defendants the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College (the “Board”) and Kim Edward Leblanc (“Mr. Leblanc”).

In her complaint, Plaintiff alleges that the Board is “an Institution of Higher [281] Education owned and operated by the State of Louisiana.” Compl., Rec. Doc. 1, p. 1, ¶ 1. Plaintiff asserts that the Board “owned1 and operated the LSU Health Sciences Center” where Plaintiff was employed from August 4, 2008 until July 18, 2010. Compl., Rec. Doc. 1, p. 1, ¶ 1. Plaintiff farther avers that Mr. Leblanc was an employee of the LSU Health Sciences Center (“Health Sciences Center”) and that, at all times pertinent to the complaint, he was also her supervisor.

Plaintiff asserts that in April 2010 she was diagnosed with a facial tumor which required surgical removal. Plaintiff reports that, thereafter, she completed the required Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) paperwork and took approximately eight weeks of leave to have the tumor removed. Plaintiff alleges that when she returned to work on June 14, 2010, she found that her parking card and identification pass would not work. Furthermore, Plaintiff alleges that three days later, on June 18, 2010, she was informed that her last day would be July 18, 2010. Plaintiff contends that she was terminated, in part, for taking FMLA leave and that Mr. Leblanc “personally signed [her] separation letter and personally made the decision to terminate her.” Compl., Rec. Doc. 1, p. 2, ¶ 6. In addition, Plaintiff asserts that the Health Sciences Center took action against her “because of her perceived or actual disability, or because of the reaction of others to her condition,” thereby, violating the American with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and Louisiana Revised Statute § 28:322.1 Plaintiff seeks monetary damages as well as reinstatement, “[a]ll equitable relief deemed just and proper by this Court,” and “[a]ll other statutory remedies available.” Compl., Rec. Doc. 1, p. 4, ¶ 6.

Defendants filed the instant Motion to Dismiss on October 11, 2012. Plaintiff responded in opposition on November 27, 2012. Defendants replied on December 3, 2012.

THE PARTIES’ ARGUMENTS

Defendants argue that Plaintiff has failed to state a claim upon which relief can be granted because (1) Plaintiffs claims under Louisiana law are prescribed; (2) sovereign immunity bars Plaintiffs FMLA and ADA claims against the Board; and (3) qualified immunity bars Plaintiffs FMLA claims against Mr. Leblanc. First, Defendants assert that Plaintiffs state law claims are prescribed. Specifically, Defendants contend that the prescriptive period for claims brought under Louisiana Revised Statute § 23:322 is one year, commencing on the day that the termination occurred. Defendants assert that the statute allows prescription to be suspended during the pendency of any administrative review; however, Defendants report that the suspension shall hot last longer than six months. Thus, Defendants explain that the maximum time allotted for filing a suit under the statute is one year and six months. Defendants argue that Plaintiff was terminated on July 18, 2010, her last day working for the Health Sciences Center, and that Plaintiff filed suit on June 15, 2012, one year and approximately eleven months later. Therefore, Defendants contend that Plaintiffs claim is prescribed on its face.

In addition, Defendants also argue that the Board is an arm of the state and, therefore, it is immune from suits for damages under both the FMLA and the ADA. [282] In particular, Defendants assert that the United States Supreme Court has determined that Congress did not validly abrogate the states’ sovereign immunity from suit when it enacted the ADA and subsection D of the FMLA, the section pertinent to Plaintiffs claims. Therefore, Defendants contend that Plaintiff cannot bring suit against the Board under these federal laws.

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Bellow v. Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University, 913 F. Supp. 2d 279, 20 Wage & Hour Cas.2d (BNA) 230, 2012 WL 6697180, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 181512 (E.D. La. 2012).

913 F. Supp. 2d 279 (Bellow v. Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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