Biruk v. The Boeing Company

District Court, W.D. Washington·Decided July 7, 2025·No. 2:25-cv-00779·Unknown

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON AT SEATTLE ARTEM BIRUK, CASE NO. C25-0779JLR Plaintiff, ORDER v. THE BOEING COMPANY, Defendant. Before the court are pro se Plaintiff Artem Biruk’s motion to seal and Defendant The Boeing Company’s (“Boeing”) motion to dismiss Mr. Biruk’s complaint. (MTS (Dkt. # 9)1; MTD (Dkt. # 6); MTD Reply (Dkt. # 14).) Each party opposes the other’s motions. (MTS Resp. (Dkt. # 11); MTD Resp. (Dkt. # 8).) The court has considered the parties’ submissions, the balance of the record, and the applicable law. Being fully 1 Mr. Biruk did not file a reply in support of his motion to seal. (See generally Dkt.) advised,2 the court DENIES Mr. Biruk’s motion to seal and GRANTS Boeing’s motion to dismiss.

This case arises out the termination of Mr. Biruk’s employment with Boeing. On April 3, 2025, Mr. Biruk filed a complaint in the Snohomish County Superior Court alleging several claims in connection with his alleged wrongful termination. (See Compl. (Dkt. # 1-1).) On April 28, 2025, Boeing removed the action to this District. (See Not. of Removal (Dkt. # 1).)

On May 5, 2025, Boeing moved to dismiss Mr. Biruk’s complaint under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim. (See Mot.) On May 13, 2025, Mr. Biruk moved to seal “portions of his initial complaint and related documents[.]” (See MTS at 2.) Both motions are briefed and are ripe for review.

The court first addresses Mr. Biruk’s motion to seal, followed by Boeing’s motion to dismiss. A. Mr. Biruk’s Motion to Seal Mr. Biruk asks the court to seal “portions of [his] [c]omplaint and/or exhibits filed with the [c]ourt” “as identified in [his] accompanying declaration.” (MTS at 2.) In his

declaration, however, Mr. Biruk does not identify the “portions” of the complaint or exhibits that he seeks to seal. (See generally MTS; see Biruk Decl. (Dkt. # 10).) The

2 Neither party requested oral argument, and the court concludes that oral argument is not necessary to its disposition of the parties’ motions. See Local Rules W.D. Wash. LCR 7(b)(4). court observes, however, that Mr. Biruk attached well over 100 pages of exhibits to his response to Boeing’s motion to dismiss. (See Resp.) The court accordingly construes

Mr. Biruk’s motion as seeking to seal the entirety of his complaint and the exhibits he filed with his response to Boeing’s motion to dismiss, or alternatively, to permit redactions to both documents. In this District, parties seeking to file documents under seal must follow the procedures set forth in Local Civil Rule 5(g). See Local Rules W.D. Wash. LCR 5(g). That rule requires, among other things, that the movant explain the bases for their sealing

request and certify that they have met and conferred with all other parties regarding their sealing request. Id. LCR 5(g)(3)(A)-(B). The movant also must redact certain personally identifying information from the documents at issue. See id. LCR 5(g)(1)(B), 5.2. Because Mr. Biruk seeks to seal exhibits, he must also comply with the procedures set forth in Local Civil Rule 5(g)(4).

When deciding whether to seal documents on a judicial record, courts “start with a strong presumption in favor of access to court records.” Foltz v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 331 F.3d 1122, 1135 (9th Cir. 2003) (citing Hagestad v. Tragesser, 49 F.3d 1430, 1434 (9th Cir. 1995)). This presumption, however, “is not absolute and can be overridden given sufficiently compelling reasons for doing so.” Id. (citing San Jose

Mercury News, Inc. v. U.S. Dist. Ct. N. Dist. (San Jose), 187 F.3d 1096, 1102 (9th Cir. 1999)). More specifically, the movant bears the burden of showing that “compelling reasons supported by specific factual findings . . . outweigh the general history of access and the public policies favoring disclosure.” Kamakana v. City & Cnty. of Honolulu, 447 F.3d 1172, 1178-79 (9th Cir. 2006). The court has discretion to determine whether the movant has provided a compelling reason to justify sealing. Nixon v. Warner Commc’ns,

Inc., 435 U.S. 589, 599 (1978). Mr. Biruk contends that sealing the complaint and exhibits is necessary to “protect [his] privacy and prevent the disclosure of confidential personal details.” (MTS at 2; see also Biruk Decl. (“Disclosure of these details to the public would subject me to unnecessary embarrassment, distress, and possibly hinder future employment.”).) Boeing opposes Mr. Biruk’s motion on the basis that he failed to: (1) identify the documents he

seeks to seal; (2) adhere to procedures set forth in Local Civil Rule 5(g); and (3) provide compelling reasons justifying his sealing request. (See MTS Resp. at 1-4.) The court agrees with Boeing. Mr. Biruk’s motion to seal does not satisfy the “compelling reasons” standard or the various procedural requirements contained in Local Civil Rule 5(g). (See 5/27/25

Crowner Decl. (Dkt. # 12) ¶ 2 (stating that Mr. Biruk did not attempt to attempt to meet and confer prior to filing the motion to seal)); see also Local Rules W.D. Wash. LCR 5(g). Accordingly, the court denies Mr. Biruk’s motion to seal, but without prejudice to re-filing a motion to seal that (1) identifies the specific documents he seeks to seal or redact; (2) complies with the procedures set forth in Local Civil Rule 5(g); and

(3) provides “compelling reasons” justifying his sealing or redaction request. B. Boeing’s Motion to Dismiss Although Mr. Biruk’s complaint is unclear, he appears to allege the following claims: (1) a “Human Rights Violation”; (2) disparate treatment employment discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”); (3) disparate treatment employment discrimination on the basis of genetic information under the

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (“GINA”) and RCW 49.44.180; (4) hostile work environment under Title VII; (5) retaliation in connection with his reporting of allegedly toxic solvents in the workplace; (6) civil theft; and (7) “lying about insurance.” (Compl. at 2-3; see Resp. at 113 (alleging a “potential violation” of Title VII).) Boeing asserts that all of Mr. Biruk’s claims should be dismissed for failure to state a claim. (See Mot.) The court first discusses the applicable legal standards, and then addresses

Boeing’s motion to dismiss. 1. Applicable Legal Standards Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a)(2) requires that a complaint contain “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a). Under Rule 12(b)(6), the court must dismiss a complaint for failure to state

a claim upon which relief can be granted. Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). A Rule 12(b)(6) dismissal may be based on “the lack of a cognizable legal theory or the absence of sufficient facts alleged under a cognizable legal theory.” Balistreri v. Pacifica Police Dep’t, 901 F.2d 696, 699 (9th Cir. 1990). A plaintiff’s complaint must “contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to ‘state a claim to relief that is plausible on its

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