Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Care Centers Management Consulting, Inc.

942 F. Supp. 2d 771, 27 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1750, 2013 WL 1811973, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 62996
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Tennessee
DecidedApril 29, 2013
DocketNo. 2:12-CV-207
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 942 F. Supp. 2d 771 (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Care Centers Management Consulting, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Care Centers Management Consulting, Inc., 942 F. Supp. 2d 771, 27 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1750, 2013 WL 1811973, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 62996 (E.D. Tenn. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

CURTIS L. COLLIER, District Judge.

Before the Court is a motion to dismiss and/or in the alternative motion for summary judgment filed by Defendant Care Centers Management Consulting, Inc. (“CCMC”) pursuant to Rules 12(b)(1), 12(b)(6), and 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (Court File No. 6). CCMC seeks dismissal, inter alia, because it contends it is not the aggrieved party’s “employer.” Plaintiff Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) submitted a response (Court File No. 10), and Defendant CCMC filed a reply (Court File No. 12). After considering the parties’ arguments and the relevant case law, the Court will DENY CCMC’s motion to dismiss and/or in the alternative motion for summary judgment (Court File No. 6).

I. RELEVANT FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND1

On May 16, 2012, the EEOC filed a complaint on behalf of John/Jane Doe (“Doe”), the aggrieved party, alleging violations of Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”), as amended by the ADA Amendment Act of 2008 (“ADAAA”), and Title I of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 (Court File No. 1). Specifically, the EEOC alleges the defendants engaged in unlawful employment practices that include, but are not limited to, discharging Doe on the basis of disability — in this case, suffering from human immunodeficiency virus (“HIV”).

With regard to CCMC and co-defendant Christian Care Center of Johnson City, Inc. (“Christian Care”), the EEOC aileges the two defendants “have operated as a single employer and/or integrated enterprise” (id. ¶ 4). In support of this contention, the EEOC alleges CCMC and Christian Care “share common ownership and common management, with J.R. Lewis serving as the president of both entities” (id.). The EEOC also contends the two parties “have the same principal address and mailing address listed with the Tennessee Secretary of State” (id.). The EEOC alleges they have “centralized control of labor relations and personnel issues” (id.). For example, it claims the employees of Christian Care “are directed in the employee handbook to contact 1-800-615-CARE with grievances of personnel issues that cannot be handled at the facility level” and that, “upon information and belief, 1-800-615-CARE is operated by [CCMC]” (id.). Finally, the EEOC alleges CCMC and Christian Care have “continuously been doing business in the State of Tennessee and Johnson City, and [have] continuously had at least 15 employees” (id.).

II. DISCUSSION

CCMC seeks dismissal from the case on three separate grounds. First, CCMC contends the EEOC’s complaint against CCMC should be dismissed pursuant to Rule 12(b)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure for lack of subject matter jurisdiction because Doe failed to exhaust his administrative remedies against CCMC. [774]*774Second, CCMC seeks dismissal pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) because the EEOC has failed to state a claim upon which relief can be granted given that CCMC was not Doe’s employer. Finally, CCMC claims the EEOC’s complaint against CCMC should be dismissed because there is no genuine dispute of any material fact with respect to whether CCMC was Doe’s employer. The EEOC, on the other hand, contends the Court has subject matter jurisdiction because CCMC has common management and ownership with Christian Care, and CCMC substantially participated in the EEOC’s conciliation and investigation process. The EEOC also avers its complaint sufficiently pleads the “single employer” or “integrated enterprise” theory to survive CCMC’s motion to dismiss. Finally, the EEOC asks that the Court deny CCMC’s motion for summary judgment at this stage so that discovery can proceed on this and other matters in the case. The Court will address each of CCMC’s grounds for dismissal below.

A. Rule 12(b)(1)

CCMC first seeks dismissal pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(1).2 Rule 12(b)(1) addresses whether the district court has subject matter jurisdiction over the plaintiffs claims. Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(1). Under Rule 12(b)(1), a defendant may challenge this Court’s subject matter jurisdiction through a facial attack or a factual attack. Gentek Bldg. Prods., Inc. v. Sherwin-Williams Co., 491 F.3d 320, 330 (6th Cir.2007) (citing Ohio Nat’l Life Ins. Co. v. United States, 922 F.2d 320, 325 (6th Cir.1990)). A facial attack “questions merely the sufficiency of the pleading.” Id. A court must take the allegations in the complaint to be true when reviewing a facial attack. Id. On the other hand, where there is a factual attack, the Court must weigh conflicting evidence provided by the plaintiff and the defendant to determine whether subject matter jurisdiction exists. Id. Such evidence can include, and is not limited to, “affidavits, documents, and even a limited evidentiary hearing to resolve jurisdictional facts.” Id. The party asserting that subject matter jurisdiction exists has the burden of proof. Davis v. United States, 499 F.3d 590, 594 (6th Cir.2007). Here, CCMC contends it is challenging subject matter jurisdiction through a factual attack.

CCMC contends the EEOC’s complaint should be dismissed because the aggrieved party Doe failed to exhaust his administra[775]*775tive remedies against CCMC. CCMC claims it is not Doe’s employer and Doe failed to name CCMC as its employer during the charge proceedings. CCMC further contends the naming of the employer in the charge is a jurisdictional requirement. Therefore, the fact that it was not named as Doe’s employer in the charge or at any point during the investigative or conciliation process is sufficient grounds for dismissal. The EEOC, on the other hand, argues the Court is not barred from exercising subject matter jurisdiction simply because Doe did not name CCMC on the face of the charge. Instead, it argues the Court can proceed because CCMC and Christian Care “share a clear identity of interest as they share common management, directors, and ownership” (Court File No. 11 at 4).

Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5, the EEOC can bring a civil action against a respondent named in the charge. However, it is well established that “a party not named in an EEOC charge may not be sued under Title VII unless there is a clear identity of interest between it and a party named in the EEOC charge....” Jones v. Truck Drivers Local Union No. 299, 748 F.2d 1083, 1086 (6th Cir.1984). Thus, a failure to comply with the naming requirement is excusable only if “an ‘identity of interest’ is found to exist between the named and unnamed parties.” Romain v. Kurek,

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942 F. Supp. 2d 771, 27 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1750, 2013 WL 1811973, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 62996, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/equal-employment-opportunity-commission-v-care-centers-management-tned-2013.