Hannah v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

969 F. Supp. 2d 229, 2013 WL 4737368, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 125745
CourtDistrict Court, D. Connecticut
DecidedAugust 30, 2013
DocketCivil Action No. 3:12-CV-1361(JCH)
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 969 F. Supp. 2d 229 (Hannah v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) 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
Hannah v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 969 F. Supp. 2d 229, 2013 WL 4737368, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 125745 (D. Conn. 2013).

Opinion

RULING RE: MOTION FOR PARTIAL JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS (Doc. No. 30)

JANET C. HALL, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

Plaintiffs Kim Hannah (“Hannah”), Tom Irving (“Irving”), and Michael (“Barham”), (collectively, “the plaintiffs”), bring this action against defendants Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores East, L.P. (collectively, “Wal-Mart”). The plaintiffs allege that they were subjected to race discrimination and retaliation, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq, the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act, Conn. GemStat. § 46a-60 et seq. (“the CFEPA”), and section 31-51m of the Connecticut General Statutes, Conn. Gen.Stat. § 31-51m (prohibiting retaliation against employees who disclose an employer’s illegal activities or unethical practices).

Pending before the court is Wal-Mart’s Motion for Partial Judgment on the Pleadings (Doc. No. 30). Wal-Mart moves, pursuant to Rule 12(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, for judgment as to the plaintiffs’ claims pursuant to the CFEPA and section 31-51m. According to WalMart, all of the plaintiffs’ state law claims, on the face of the Complaint and as evidenced by documentation properly considered by virtue of their incorporation by reference in the Complaint, are time-barred.

II. FACTS

According to the plaintiffs’ Amended Complaint, they filed a timely claim with the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (“CHRO”) and the Equal Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”). Am. Compl. (Doc. No. 6) ¶ 13; see also Defs.’ Mem. in Supp. Mot. Judg. Pleadings at 2 (plaintiffs filed dual administrative charged with the CHRO and the EEOC on August 27, 2010). According to the Amended Complaint, the EEOC mailed a “Right to Sue’ letter to plaintiffs on August 24, 2012. Id. The CHRO issued a “Release of Jurisdiction Notice” prior to the EEOC’s mailing of its “Right to Sue” letter. Id.

Wal-Mart attached to its Motion for Partial Judgment on the Pleadings copies of the “Releases of Jurisdiction” from the [231]*231CHRO. Defs.’ Mem. in Supp. Mot. Judg. Pleadings, Ex. 2. The releases were issued on April 10, 2012. Id. The releases stated that, “[t]he Complainant must bring an action in Superior Court within 90 days of receipt of this release and within two years of the date of filing the complaint with the Commission unless circumstances tolling the statute of limitations are present.” Id.

Wal-Mart also attached copies of the EEOC “Right to Sue’ letters, which show that they were issued on June 19, 2012. Defs.’ Mem. in Supp. Mot. Judg. Pleadings, Ex. 3. In their Opposition to WalMart’s Motion for Partial Judgment of the Pleadings, the plaintiffs attach the envelope in which the “Right to Sue” letters were mailed to the plaintiffs. Pis.’ Mem. in Opp. Mot. Judg. Pleadings, Ex. H. The letter was mailed to plaintiffs’ counsel on August 24, 2012. Id. In an email exchange between plaintiffs’ counsel and a representative of the EEOC, a representative from the EEOC said they attempted to fax the “Right to Sue” letters, but the letters “did not go through.” Pis.’ Mem. in Opp. Mot. Judg. Pleadings, Ex. E.

III. STANDARD OF REVIEW

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(c) states that “[a]fter the pleadings are closed — but early enough not to delay trial — a party may move for judgment on the pleadings.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(c). “The legal standards for review of motions pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) and Rule 12(c) are indistinguishable.” DeMuria v. Hawkes, 328 F.3d 704, 706 n. 1 (2d Cir.2003). On a motion for judgment on the pleadings, the court must accept all factual allegations in the non-moving party’s pleading as true and draw all inferences in the non-moving party’s favor. See Miller v. Wolpoff & Abramson, L.L.P., 321 F.3d 292, 300 (2d Cir.2003). Courts have been unwilling to grant a 12(c) motion “unless the movant clearly establishes that no material issue of fact remains to be resolved and he is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” See id.

IV. DISCUSSION

As a preliminary matter, plaintiffs argue that, by attaching exhibits to their Motion for Partial Judgment on the Pleadings, the defendants are asking the court to look outside the pleadings, which converts the Motion to a Motion for Summary Judgment pursuant to Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Pis.’ Mem. in Opp. Mot. Judg. Pleadings at 1. According to plaintiffs, having converted the Motion to one for summary judgment, the defendants were required to submit an affidavit based on personal knowledge. Id. at 2 (citing Sellers v. M.C. Floor Crafters, Inc., 842 F.2d 639, 643 (2d Cir.1988)).

Wal-Mart argues that, on a motion to dismiss, a court may consider documents that are integral to or referenced in the complaint or otherwise subject to judicial notice. Defs.’ Reply (Doc. No. 55) at 2 (citing Chambers v. Time Warner, Inc., 282 F.3d 147, 152-53 (2d Cir.2002)). Because the plaintiffs allege in their Amended Complaint the date on which the EEOC “Right to Sue” letters were mailed, that the CHRO had issued its “Release of Jurisdiction Notices” prior to the EEOC mailing, and that the federal Complaint is timely, Am. Compl. ¶ 13, the court agrees that the exhibits attached to Wal-Mart’s Motion for Partial Judgment on the Pleadings — the letters referenced in the Amended Complaint — may be considered by the court without converting the Motion to one for summary judgment. See L-7 Designs, Inc. v. Old Navy, LLC, 647 F.3d 419, 422 (2d Cir.2011) (stating that, on a 12(c) motion, “a complaint is [also] deemed to include ... materials incorporated in it by reference, and documents that, although [232]*232not incorporated by reference, are ‘integral’ to the complaint”). Not only were the letters referenced in the Amended Complaint, they are also “integral” in that they are “integral to plaintiff[s] ability to pursue ... [their] cause of action.” Id. Therefore, the court will consider the exhibits attached to the briefings and will construe the Motion as filed — as one for partial judgment on the pleadings.1

Wal-Mart argues that they are entitled to judgment on the pleadings as to the plaintiffs’ state law claims because they are time-barred. Defs.’ Mem. in Supp. Mot.

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Bluebook (online)
969 F. Supp. 2d 229, 2013 WL 4737368, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 125745, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hannah-v-wal-mart-stores-inc-ctd-2013.