Just v. Target Corp.

187 F. Supp. 3d 1064, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 63126, 2016 WL 2757370
CourtDistrict Court, D. Minnesota
DecidedMay 12, 2016
DocketCivil No. 15-4117 (DWF/TNL)
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 187 F. Supp. 3d 1064 (Just v. Target Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Just v. Target Corp., 187 F. Supp. 3d 1064, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 63126, 2016 WL 2757370 (mnd 2016).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

DONOVAN W. FRANK, United States District Judge

INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff Thomas J. Just filed this putative class action against Defendant Target Corporation (“Target”) after Just applied for a job at Target and received a document entitled ■ “Consent & Disclosure,” [1065]*1065which informed him that Target intended to request a background check as part of the hiring process. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”), if an employer intends to obtain a report about a job applicant, the employer must notify the applicant. Such notification must be in a separate document without any extraneous information. Just alleges that Target included impermissible extraneous information in the Consent & Disclosure and in so doing, willfully violated the FCRA.

Presently, the Court considers Target’s motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6). Even if the Court assumes, for the sake of argument, that Target violated the FCRA, it cannot conclude that Just plausibly alleges that such violation was willful. Given the lack of guidance from the federal courts of appeals and the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), as well as the divergent views of the federal district courts on the meaning of the statute, the Court cannot conclude that Target’s reading of the statute was objectively unreasonable. Accordingly, the Court grants Target’s motion.

BACKGROUND

In 2014 and 2015, Just applied for a full-time job at Target. (Doc. No. 1 (“Compl.”) ¶ 11.) Just completed an online job application that included a one-page document entitled “Consent & Disclosure,” which stated, among other things, Target’s intent to procure a background check about Just:

As part of our hiring process, we will request a consumer and/or investigative consumer report about you, which may include: a background investigation,- consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws, that includes obtaining information on convictions and/or pending prosecutions, as well as Department of Motor Vehicles information, educational background, employment history and any other factors that may be relevant to your qualifications to work at our Company.

(Id. ¶ 12; Ex. A to Compl. (“Consent <& Disclosure”).) In addition, the Consent & Disclosure provided that Just’s signature on the document authorized Target to procure the background check, stating in part:

If extended an offer, you agree to the following by signing this form:
• Authorizing our Company to request ánd get a consumer report and/or Investigative consumer report about you from First Advantage ...
You hereby consent to this investigation and authorize our Company to procure consumer reports and/or investigative consumer reports on your background.

(Consent & Disclosure (emphasis in original).) Just signed the Consent & Disclosure, and Target procured a background check. (Id.; Compl. ¶17.) The background check revealed that Just had criminal convictions, and Target withdrew a job offer it had extended to Just. (Compl. ¶ 17.)

Just does not complain about the withdrawn job offer. Rather, the essence of his lawsuit is that Target included impermissible, extraneous information in the Consent & Disclosure. He specifically highlights three provisions of the document. First, the Consent & Disclosure opens with two sentences that Just claims are likely to mislead a job applicant: “Teamwork requires dedication, trust, and above all, honesty. It is a commitment we ask of all our team members and potential team members.” (Consent & Disclosure; Compl. ¶ 14.) Second, the Consent & Disclosure states: ‘You understand if you disagree with the accuracy of any information in the report, you must notify First Advantage within five business days of your receipt of the report,” (Consent & Disclosure.) Just claims that this sentence purports to impose an improper obligation on a job appli[1066]*1066cant. (Compl. ¶ 15.) Third, the Consent & Disclosure provides: “Please Note: You are NOT creating a ‘contract of employment’ with our Company by signing this form. If hired, both you and our Company have the right to end your employment at anytime for any reason.” (Consent & Disclosure (emphasis in original).) Just alleges that this language is misleading because it suggests that Target can terminate an employee based on discrimination or retaliation. (Compl. ¶ 16.)

In his brief, Just also stresses the fact that the Consent & Disclosure contains the following state-specific information:

In MN or OK, if you would like a copy of the consumer report to be mailed directly to you, check this box Q
In any state other than MN or OK, First Advantage will give you a complete and accurate disclosure of the nature and scope of this report, upon your written request.

(Consent & Disclosure.) Target, on the other hand, points out that the Consent & Disclosure does not contain a release provision' waiving the liability of Target or First Advantage in connection with the background check. (See id.)

Just’s single-count Complaint claims that Just (and the alleged class members) are entitled to statutory damages based on Target’s willful violation of the FCRA’s stand-alone disclosure requirement, 15 U.S.C. § 1681b(b)(2)(A)(i), pursuant to the FCRA’s civil liability provision, 15 U.S.C. § 1681n. (Compl. ¶¶ 25-27.) Just supports his claim of willfulness by alleging the following: (1) Target’s conduct is inconsistent with “longstanding regulatory guidance, judicial interpretation, and the plain language of the statute”; (2) Target-“routinely” included extraneous information in its disclosure forms; and (3) Target “knowingly benefited” from imposing unrelated and unfavorable conditions on job applicants in the- Consent &■ Disclosure. (Id. ¶ 26.)

DISCUSSION

I. Legal Standard

In deciding a motion to dismiss pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), a court assumes all facts in the complaint to be true and construes all reasonable inferences from those facts in the light most favorable to the complainant. Morton v. Becker, 793 F.2d 185, 187 (8th Cir.1986). In doing so, however, a court need not accept as true wholly con-clusory allegations, Hanten v. Sch. Dist. of Riverview Gardens, 183 F.3d 799, 805 (8th Cir.1999), or legal conclusions drawn by the pleader from the facts alleged, Westcott v. City of Omaha, 901 F.2d 1486, 1488 (8th Cir.1990). A court deciding a motion to dismiss may consider the complaint, matters of public record, orders, materials embraced by the complaint, and exhibits attached to the complaint. See Porous Media Corp., v. Pall Corp.,

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187 F. Supp. 3d 1064, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 63126, 2016 WL 2757370, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/just-v-target-corp-mnd-2016.