Gorman v. Hughes Danbury Optical Systems

908 F. Supp. 107, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18016
CourtDistrict Court, D. Connecticut
DecidedNovember 22, 1995
Docket3:93cv2163 (DJS)
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 908 F. Supp. 107 (Gorman v. Hughes Danbury Optical Systems) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Connecticut primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gorman v. Hughes Danbury Optical Systems, 908 F. Supp. 107, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18016 (D. Conn. 1995).

Opinion

ENDORSEMENT ORDER

SQUATRITO, District Judge.

This cause is now before the court on the Honorable Thomas P. Smith’s Recommended Ruling on the defendant’s motion to dismiss (document # 33). Upon review and pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B) and Rule 2 of the Local Rules for United States Magistrate *109 Judges (D.Conn.), the recommended ruling is APPROVED and ADOPTED as the ruling of this court, absent timely objection or response of any kind.

Accordingly, defendant’s motion to dismiss is hereby granted without prejudice to the filing of a motion conforming to Judge Smith’s directions within thirty days. Failure to comply shall result in the entry of judgment in favor of the defendant on the federal claims and dismissal of the state-law claims without prejudice.

It is so ordered.

RECOMMENDED RULING ON MOTION TO DISMISS

SMITH, United States Magistrate Judge.

This is an action in which the plaintiff alleges that the defendant discriminated against her in violation of, inter alia, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”), the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and Title VII. The defendant has filed a motion to dismiss pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6) for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and failure to state a claim.

For the reasons that follow, the defendant’s motion should be GRANTED.

FACTS

After examination of the pleadings, motions and relevant memoranda, and for purposes of the instant motion to dismiss, the following material facts are undisputed. The plaintiff was born on August 3,1945, and was forty six years of age when the discriminatory conduct at issue allegedly took place. The plaintiff was employed by the defendant, Hughes Danbury Optical Systems (“Hughes”), as an administrative secretary for approximately fourteen years, from 1978 until she was ultimately terminated in 1992. While she was employed by the defendant, the plaintiff received favorable performance evaluations.

In 1987, the plaintiff was involved in a motor vehicle accident. As a result of the accident, she suffered injuries which left her with permanent disabilities. The plaintiff currently suffers from Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome. According to the amended complaint, the plaintiffs disabilities did not interfere with her “ability to perform the essential functions of her job.” The plaintiff alleges that she was terminated due to illegal discrimination based upon her age and her disability and that she was replaced with younger secretarial support. The defendant’s actions have allegedly caused the plaintiff to suffer extreme physical and mental damages.

In addition to her claims under the ADEA, ADA and Title VII, the plaintiff alleges violations of state discrimination statutes, C.G.S. §§ 46a-58(a), 46-60(a)(l), 46a-60(a)(8).

STANDARD

A motion to dismiss brought pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) must be granted if the plaintiff fails to establish jurisdiction. “Federal courts are empowered to hear only those cases that (1) are within the judicial power of the United States, as defined by the Constitution, and (2) that have been entrusted to them by a jurisdictional grant by Congress.” 13 C. Wright, A. Miller & E. Cooper, Federal Practice and Procedure § 3522 (1984). See Owen Equipment & Erection Co. v. Kroger, 437 U.S. 365, 98 S.Ct. 2396, 57 L.Ed.2d 274 (1978). If the district court concludes that it does not have subject matter jurisdiction, it must dismiss the case. See Golden Hill Paugussett Tribe of Indians v. Weicker, 839 F.Supp. 130, 136 (D.Conn.1993); Trinanes v. Schulte, 311 F.Supp. 812 (D.C.N.Y.1970); Amundson v. U.S., 279 F.Supp. 779 (D.C.N.Y.1967).

A motion to dismiss brought pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) “merely ... assesses] the legal feasibility of the complaint, [it does] not ... assay the weight of the evidence which might be offered in support thereof.” Ryder Energy Distribution Corp. v. Merrill Lynch Commodities, Inc., 748 F.2d 774, 779 (2d Cir.1984). In deciding a motion to dismiss “the court ‘must accept the material facts alleged in the complaint as true,”’ Staron v. McDonald’s Corp., et al., 51 F.3d 353, 355 (2d *110 Cir.1995) (citing Cohen v. Koenig, 25 F.3d 1168, 1172 (2d Cir.1994)), and draw all reasonable inferences in favor of the pleader. Scheuer v. Rhodes, 416 U.S. 232, 236, 94 S.Ct. 1683, 1686, 40 L.Ed.2d 90 (1974). The court must determine whether the plaintiff has stated a claim upon which relief may be granted. Fischman v. Blue Cross & Blue Shield, 755 F.Supp. 528 (D.Conn.1990). Dismissal is warranted only if, under any set of facts that the plaintiff can prove consistent with the allegations, it is clear that no relief can be granted. Hishon v. King & Spalding, 467 U.S. 69, 73, 104 S.Ct. 2229, 2232-33, 81 L.Ed.2d 59 (1984); Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 45-46, 78 S.Ct. 99, 101-02, 2 L.Ed.2d 80 (1957); Frasier v. General Elec. Co., 930 F.2d 1004, 1007 (2d Cir.1991).

DISCUSSION

The defendant argues that all of the plaintiff’s claims must fail because the plaintiff did not follow certain procedural prerequisites with respect to the ADEA, Title VII and Connecticut Law. The plaintiff responds that her Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (“EEOC”) charge and “right to sue” letter meet all procedural prerequisites for her claims and, therefore, the defendant’s motion to dismiss should be denied. The defendant also argues that the plaintiff’s ADA claim must fail because the alleged discrimination predates the effective date of the Americans with Disabilities Act. For the reasons that follow, the defendant’s motion should be GRANTED.

I. Date of Termination

It is evident that the defendant’s actions have created some ambiguity with regard to the plaintiff’s termination date.

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908 F. Supp. 107, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18016, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gorman-v-hughes-danbury-optical-systems-ctd-1995.