Fierro v. New York City Department of Education

994 F. Supp. 2d 581, 2014 WL 425946, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13627
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedFebruary 4, 2014
DocketNo. 13 Civ. 3637(PAE)
StatusPublished
Cited by33 cases

This text of 994 F. Supp. 2d 581 (Fierro v. New York City Department of Education) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fierro v. New York City Department of Education, 994 F. Supp. 2d 581, 2014 WL 425946, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13627 (S.D.N.Y. 2014).

Opinion

[584]*584 OPINION & ORDER

PAUL A. ENGELMAYER, District Judge:

Plaintiff Rosa Fierro (“Fierro”), a former employee of the New York City Department of Education (“DOE”), brings this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the DOE and Margarita Colon (“Colon”), the principal of the school at which Fierro once worked as a teacher (collectively, “defendants”). Fierro alleges that defendants failed to reasonably accommodate her disability, discriminated against her on the basis of her disability, subjected her to a hostile work environment, and constructively discharged her, in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Defendants now move to dismiss the Amended Complaint pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). For the reasons that follow, the motion is granted.

I. Background1

A. Facts of the Case

In 1993, Fierro began working for the DOE as a substitute teacher. Am. Compl. ¶ 11. In 2002, she- began working as a certified teacher at PS 72X in the Bronx. Id. ¶ 12.

In 2005, Fierro began suffering from an “orthopedic disability” in her knees, arms, shoulders, and back, which limited her ability to, inter alia, walk up stairs, carry heavy objects, and sit or stand for periods of time. Id. ¶ 8. In 2006, following an on-the-job injury, Fierro underwent surgery on her knee. Id.

In February 2007, Colon became principal of PS 72X. - Id. ¶ 13. Fierro alleges that, upon becoming principal, Colon “began discriminating, harassing, and intimidating” her “on almost a daily basis.” Id. ¶ 15. Colon (1) “falsely accused [Fierro] of corporal punishment in February 2008”; (2) again “falsely accused [her] of corporal punishment and removed her from the classroom” in May 2008; (3) “rated [her] unsatisfactory ... as a result of time missed from work due to [her] medical condition”; (4) conducted “unwarranted disciplinary meetings relating to [Fierro’s] alleged poor performance and alleged incompetency,” and held these meetings on the second floor of the building, which was not readily accessible to Fierro; (5) “ordered [her] to attend a mandatory psychiatric examination” in October 2008; (6) “denied Line of Duty Injury status (‘LODI’) to an injury [she] suffered in her classroom during school hours”; (7) denied her Family Medical Leave Act and LODI status following an automobile accident in January 2009; (8) terminated her employment on March 26, 2009, following a long-term absence, on the ground that she abandoned her position;2 (9) after her position was reinstated, “refused to accommodate [her] disability by giving her a first floor classroom assignment”; and (10) “failed and refused to provide [her] with support and assistance, causing [her] to be subjected to physical abuse by the children without fear of discipline on almost a daily basis.” Id.

On or about May 30, 2010, Fierro gave notice that she intended to retire and filed for disability retirement benefits. Id. ¶ 18.

[585]*585B. Procedural History

On May 30, 2013, Fierro filed the Complaint in this action. Dkt. 1. It alleged that defendants failed to reasonably accommodate her disability, discriminated against her on the basis of her disability, subjected her to a hostile work environment, and constructively discharged her, in violation of 42 U.S.C. §§ 1983 & 1986. On September 13, 2013, defendants filed a motion to dismiss pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6), Dkt. 9, and a supporting memorandum of law, Dkt. 10 (“Def. Br”). Defendants argued, inter alia, that (1) the claims in the Complaint are mostly, if not entirely, time-barred; (2) the challenged actions were not pursuant to a municipal policy or custom, and thus cannot form the basis for a Monell claim; (3) disability-based discrimination claims are not cognizable under § 1983; and (4) the Complaint fails to state a § 1986 claim.

On October 18, 2013, Fierro filed the Amended Complaint. Dkt. 12. The Amended Complaint no longer pled a § 1986 claim, but left the § 1983 claim substantially intact. On November 18, 2013, defendants submitted a letter renewing their motion to dismiss, and stating that they would rely on their previously submitted-motion papers.3 See Dkt. 13, 14. On January 21, 2014, Fierro submitted a memorandum of law in opposition to that motion. Dkt. 18 (“PI. Br.”). Defendants did not submit a timely reply.

II. Applicable Legal Standards

To survive a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6), a complaint must plead “enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007). A claim will only have “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.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 663, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009). A complaint is properly dismissed, where, as a matter of law, “the allegations in a complaint, however true, could not raise a claim of entitlement to relief.” Twombly, 550 U.S. at 558, 127 S.Ct. 1955.

In considering a motion to dismiss, a district court “must accept as true all well-pleaded factual allegations in the complaint, and ‘draw[] all inferences in the plaintiffs favor.’ ” Allaire Corp. v. Okumus, 433 F.3d 248, 249-50 (2d Cir.2006); see also Famous Horse Inc. v. 5th Ave. Photo Inc., 624 F.3d 106, 108 (2d Cir.2010). However, “the tenet that a court must accept as true all of the allegations contained in a complaint is inapplicable to legal conclusions.” Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937. “Threadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory statements, do not suffice.” Id. “[Rjather, the complaint’s factual allegations must be enough to raise a right to relief above the speculative level, i.e., enough to make the claim plausible.” Arista Records, LLC v. Doe 3, 604 F.3d 110, 120 (2d Cir.2010) (citing Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955) (internal quotation marks omitted) (emphasis in Arista Records); accord Goldin v. Smith & Nephew, Inc., No. 12 Civ. 9217(JPO), 2013 WL 1759575, at *2 (S.D.N.Y. April 24, 2013).

III. Discussion

A. Timeliness

In § 1983 actions, the applicable limitations period is the “general or residu[586]*586al state statute of limitations.” Pearl v. City of Long Beach, 296 F.3d 76, 79 (2d Cir.2002) (internal quotation marks and alterations omitted).

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994 F. Supp. 2d 581, 2014 WL 425946, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13627, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fierro-v-new-york-city-department-of-education-nysd-2014.