Figueroa v. Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden

222 F. Supp. 3d 304, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 163460, 2016 WL 6952300
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedNovember 28, 2016
Docket16-cv-00682 (JGK)
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 222 F. Supp. 3d 304 (Figueroa v. Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden) 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
Figueroa v. Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, 222 F. Supp. 3d 304, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 163460, 2016 WL 6952300 (S.D.N.Y. 2016).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

JOHN G. KOELTL, District Judge:

The plaintiff, Carlos Figueroa, has brought claims for personal injury, retalia[307]*307tion, and discrimination (due to his national origin, race, and disability) arising from his employment as an “Office Clerk/Chauffeur” with The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden (the “Ministry”), and the Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations (the “Mission”) (collectively, “the defendants”).1 The plaintiff has also brought a claim against the defendants for the alleged breach of a separate tolling agreement. It is undisputed that the defendants, as instrumentalities of the Kingdom of Sweden (“Sweden”), are foreign sovereigns under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (the “FSIA”). See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1602-11. Relying on the FSIA’s immunity provisions, the defendants have moved pursuant to Rule 12(b)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to dismiss all of the plaintiffs claims, with the exception of the personal injury claim, for want of subject matter jurisdiction.2

The plaintiff initially brought this action in the New York State Supreme Court, New York County. The defendants removed the action to this Court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1330 and 1441(d) because the Court has original jurisdiction over actions against foreign states.

For the following reasons, the defendants’ motion for partial dismissal of the First Amended Complaint is granted in part and denied in part.

I.

In defending a motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, a plaintiff bears the burden of proving the Court’s jurisdiction by a preponderance of the evidence. Makarova v. United States, 201 F.3d 110, 113 (2d Cir. 2000). When the defendant claims immunity under the FSIA and “presents a prima facie case that it is a foreign sovereign, the plaintiff has the burden of going forward with evidence showing that, under exceptions to the FSIA, immunity should not be granted, although the ultimate burden of persuasion remains with the alleged foreign sovereign.” Cargill Int’l S.A. v. M/T Pavel Dybenko, 991 F.2d 1012, 1016 (2d Cir. 1993) (citations omitted). In considering such a motion, the Court generally must accept the material factual allegations in the complaint as true, but does not draw all reasonable inferences in the plaintiffs favor. See J.S. ex rel. N.S. v. Attica Cent. Sch., 386 F.3d 107, 110 (2d Cir. 2004); Graubart v. Jazz Images Inc., No. 02 Civ. 4645, 2006 WL 1140724, at *2 (S.D.N.Y. Apr. 27, 2006). Indeed, where jurisdictional facts are disputed, the Court has the power and the obligation to consider matters outside the pleadings, such as affidavits, documents, and testimony, to determine whether jurisdiction exists. See APWU v. Potter, 343 F.3d 619, 627 (2d Cir. 2003); Kamen v. Am. Tel. & Tel. Co., 791 F.2d 1006, 1011 (2d Cir. 1986). In doing so, the Court is guided by the body of decisional law that has developed under Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Kamen, 791 F.2d at 1011; see also Hijazi v. Permanent Mission Of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations, 689 F.Supp.2d 669, 670 [308]*308(S.D.N.Y.), aff'd, 403 Fed.Appx. 631 (2d Cir. 2010) (summary order).

II.

The following facts are taken from the First Amended Complaint, and the declarations and affidavits accompanying the parties’ respective motion papers.

The Ministry is a constituent part of the Government of Sweden responsible for Sweden’s foreign affairs. FAC ¶ 3; Dahlin Aff. ¶ 6. The Ministry has no presence in the United States except through its in-strumentalities: the Mission, the Swedish Consulate General, and the Swedish Embassy, all of which are located in New York State or Washington, D.C. Dahlin Aff. ¶ 6. The Mission, the Consulate General, and the Embassy each serve purely governmental functions designed to advance the national interests of Sweden. Dahlin Aff. ¶ 6.

The Mission represents Swedish diplomatic interests before the United Nations in New York City. Dahlin Aff. ¶ 5. The Swedish Ambassador to the United Nations is stationed at the Mission and has a residence in New York City. Dahlin Aff. ¶ 4. The Mission also supports around twenty Swedish diplomats. Dahlin Aff. ¶¶ 10-11. The Mission frequently hosts events, including for the diplomats of other nations. Dahlin Aff. ¶ 11. The Mission employs a variety of support staff, such as administrative assistants, secretaries, and human resources personnel. See, e.g., FAC ¶¶ 21, 24, 44.

In late 2005, the Mission advertised that it was seeking to hire an Office Clerk/Chauffeur. FAC, Ex. 3 (The Vacancy Announcement).3 The Office Clerk/Chauffeur’s duties included driving the Mission car “upon request,” “minor repairs and maintenance,” and other “routine clerical duties.” FAC, Ex. 3. The Mission held itself out as an Equal Opportunity Employer, and did not require that an applicant speak Swedish. FAC, Ex. 3.

On January 9, 2006, the Mission hired the plaintiff, who is an American citizen of Puerto Rican descent and not fluent in Swedish, as the Office Clerk/Chauffeur, a position he currently holds. FAC ¶ 9; FAC, Ex. 1 (The Employment Letter). The plaintiffs employment with the Mission was governed by an employment agreement entitled the “Terms and Conditions for Locally Employed Staff.” FAC, Ex. 2 (The Employment Agreement). The employment agreement provided, among other things, that the plaintiffs entitlement to a pension, group life insurance, and a funeral grant was subject to Swedish law for Locally Engaged Non-Swedish Staff at Swedish Missions Abroad. FAC, Ex. 2.

In his capacity as an Office Clerk/Chauffeur, the plaintiff spent the majority of his time chauffeuring the Swedish Ambassador and the Ambassador’s family, Swedish diplomats and their families, and members of the Royal Family of Sweden. Dahlin Aff. ¶ 7; Figueroa Decl. ¶ 6. He also performed routine office tasks, such as setting up for the aforementioned events, accepting packages, and purchasing supplies. Figueroa Decl. ¶ 4; Dahlin Aff. ¶ 9.

The plaintiff alleges that, from the beginning of his employment, his Swedish employers treated him disparately and discriminated against him on a daily basis due to his race and national origin. FAC ¶ 32. The plaintiff catalogues numerous alleged acts of discrimination—ranging from de[309]*309meaning slights to considerable career disadvantages—that he suffered as a result.

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222 F. Supp. 3d 304, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 163460, 2016 WL 6952300, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/figueroa-v-ministry-for-foreign-affairs-of-sweden-nysd-2016.