Faulkner v. Dillon

92 F. Supp. 3d 493, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 35512, 2015 WL 1291411
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Virginia
DecidedMarch 23, 2015
DocketCase No. 1:14CV00081
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 92 F. Supp. 3d 493 (Faulkner v. Dillon) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Faulkner v. Dillon, 92 F. Supp. 3d 493, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 35512, 2015 WL 1291411 (W.D. Va. 2015).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

JAMES P. JONES, District Judge.

In this diversity action, the plaintiff asserts various state law claims against her former employer and its individual owner and sole officer. The defendants have [496]*496moved to dismiss the plaintiffs wrongful discharge and intentional infliction of emotional distress claims pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). For the reasons that follow, I will deny the defendants’ Motion to Dismiss.

I.

The following are the essential facts as alleged in the plaintiffs Complaint, which I must accept as true for the purposes of the defendants’ Motion to Dismiss. See Philips v. Pitt Cnty. Mem’l Hosp., 572 F.3d 176, 180 (4th Cir.2009).

The plaintiff Misty Faulkner worked for defendant Bluefield Cleaners, Inc. (“Blue-field Cleaners”), located in Bluefield, Virginia, for approximately thirteen years. Her primary job was to press and iron clothes. The defendant Richard Dillon is the owner and sole officer of Bluefield Cleaners. The events alleged in the Complaint occurred during the course of Faulkner’s employment at Bluefield Cleaners.

Around Christmas of 2012, Dillon allegedly began to repeatedly solicit Faulkner for sexual favors and a sexual relationship in exchange for favorable treatment. His actions included offering Faulkner money for sexual acts. Among other allegations, Faulkner asserts in the Complaint that “[a]t times Dillon would place his hands on [her], to include: ... [r]epeatedly pinching [her] on her buttocks; ... [r]epeatedly forcing [her] to accept hugs from him, and lingering on her when giving the hugs; and ... [r]epeatedly rubbing her back.” (Compl. ¶ 15, ECF No. 1.) On one occasion in August or September 2013, Faulkner alleges that Dillon attempted to forcibly kiss and hug her when he found her alone in a break room.

On another occasion, Faulkner alleges that Dillon offered her $500 if she would “do a little something for him once or twice a month,” which she understood to mean sexual acts. (Id. ¶¶ 21, 22.) Similar events are alleged by Faulkner that involved Dillon placing cash on an ironing board where Faulkner was working. In these instances, Faulkner characterizes Dillon’s actions as his attempts to exchange money for sexual acts.

Faulkner also describes numerous notes from Dillon in which he made the following statements, among others:

(1) “Where [sic] you want to speak or not you can make eye contact without getting into trouble”;
(2) “We can meet Sat [sic] let me know what time”;
(3) “I Noticed [sic] Look Good”;
(4) “Next payday when can we get together?”;
(5) “Don’t give up on us and I want [sic] either [sic] If you have a problem, let me know [sic] write me a note anytime”;
(6) “How much longer do I have to wait [sic] you are killing me”;
(7) “[My wife] is leaving [sic] I can meet you at mom’s this evening [sic] let me know”;
(8) “Do you know how hard it is for me not to grab you up in my arms?”; and
(9) “Is [sic] the shorts the one I got [sic] If so, they fit perfect.”

(Id. ¶ 28.)

Faulkner asserts that she never gave in to Dillon’s advances or consented to him touching her. In fact, Faulkner alleges in the Complaint that she told Dillon to “leave her alone” on several occasions. (Id. ¶ 33.) At one point, Faulkner even stated that she would go to a lawyer if he did not stop. In response, Faulkner alleges that Dillon told her that no one would believe her because she was a drug addict and felon.

[497]*497As a result of Dillon’s behavior and treatment of Faulkner, she alleges that she “was distraught, experienced extreme distress, suffered nightmares and panic attacks, and has contemplated suicide.” (Id. ¶ 35.) Faulkner also alleges that she feared that if she did not give into Dillon that he would retaliate against her, including terminating her employment. She asserts that “[d]ue to the extreme distress, nightmares and panic attacks, and contemplation of suicide caused by Dillon’s behavior, [she] sought professional counseling, and she refrained from engaging in intimate relations with her husband.” (Id. ¶ 36.) Faulkner alleges that “Dillon’s conduct continued until [she] became so distraught that she feared she would suffer an emotional breakdown.” (Id. ¶ 37.) She also asserts that “[e]ach day when preparing to go to work she would become physically ill, to include nausea and vomiting.” (Id. ¶ 38.)

Faulkner’s employment at Bluefield Cleaners ended when she notified Dillon— through her attorney — that she would not be returning to work. According to the Complaint, Faulkner could not continue to work in the environment created by Dillon, because it would have resulted in her suffering a “nervous breakdown.” (Id. ¶ 40.)

Based on these allegations, the plaintiff has asserted three state law causes of action against the defendants: assault and battery, wrongful discharge, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.1 The defendants’ Motion to Dismiss is limited to the latter two claims. More specifically, the defendants contend that the plaintiff “has failed to plead all of the necessary elements of a claim for wrongful discharge under Virginia law and has failed to plead sufficient facts to support a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress under Virginia law.” (Defs.’ Mot. to Dismiss ¶ 2, ECF No. 6.) The Motion to Dismiss has been fully briefed and is ripe for decision.2

II.

“A motion filed under Rule 12(b)(6) challenges the legal sufficiency of a complaint,” which in this case is “measured by whether it meets the standards for a pleading stated in Rule 8 (providing general rules of pleading) ... and Rule 12(b)(6) (requiring that a complaint state a claim upon which relief can be granted).” Francis v. Giacomelli, 588 F.3d 186, 192 (4th Cir.2009). The Supreme Court has held that “[t]o survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to ‘state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.’ ” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (quoting Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007)). This standard requires a. plaintiff to demonstrate more than “a sheer possibility that a defendant has acted unlawfully.” Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937. Rather, “[a] claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Id.

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Bluebook (online)
92 F. Supp. 3d 493, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 35512, 2015 WL 1291411, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/faulkner-v-dillon-vawd-2015.