Kingsland v. Xerox Corp.

829 F. Supp. 2d 194, 53 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 1455, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 139214, 2011 WL 6030093
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. New York
DecidedDecember 5, 2011
DocketNo. 09-CV-6242L
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 829 F. Supp. 2d 194 (Kingsland v. Xerox Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

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Kingsland v. Xerox Corp., 829 F. Supp. 2d 194, 53 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 1455, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 139214, 2011 WL 6030093 (W.D.N.Y. 2011).

Opinion

DECISION AND ORDER

DAVID G. LARIMER, District Judge.

Plaintiff David Kingsland (“plaintiff’), a former employee of defendant Xerox Corporation (“Xerox”), brings this action against Xerox seeking contractual and other damages related to his 1997 transfer to Xerox subsidiary Xerox Engineering Systems, Inc. (“XES”), and the subsequent dissolution/reabsorption of XES by Xerox. Xerox has moved to dismiss the complaint pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. Proc. 8(a)(2), 9(b) and 12(b)(6), arguing in part that: (1) plaintiffs claims are barred by a release he signed on December 19, 2002 (the “Release”); (2) plaintiffs state common law claims are preempted by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, 29 U.S.C. § 1001 et seq. (“ERISA”);1 (3) plaintiffs claims are time-barred; and (4) plaintiff has failed to state claims for breach of contract and/or unjust enrichment.

Plaintiff opposes the motion, and has cross moved to amend the ad damnum [197]*197clause of the complaint (Dkt. # 6) to seek an accounting and compensatory damages pegged to the value of the stock options that plaintiff claims were wrongfully rendered worthless by Xerox’s decision to reabsorb XES.

For the reasons that follow, Xerox’s motion to dismiss (Dkt. # 4) is granted, and plaintiffs cross motion to amend (Dkt. # 6) is denied as moot.

INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff claims that in or about 1997, while he was employed by Xerox as a Senior Vice President, Xerox offered him the option to join XES, a new Xerox subsidiary, in exchange for largely similar pay and benefits. There was a notable difference in the new benefit package: while plaintiffs Xerox retirement benefits included an annual employer contribution of up to 8.25% of plaintiffs salary, the XES package did not offer an employer contribution, but instead gave employees stock options in XES, which, plaintiff and the other XES employees were told, might be profitable if and when an initial public offering of XES stock took place. Plaintiff accepted the position with XES on these terms, and remained with XES for five (5) years, until 2002.

Plaintiff alleges that during his tenure with XES, the company was plagued by frequent turnovers in management, and that XES struggled to achieve sufficient revenue. Eventually, Xerox determined that XES was not profitable. Although Xerox initially informed XES officers, including plaintiff, that it intended to sell XES as an entity, Xerox ultimately decided to re-absorb XES into Xerox instead, and significantly reduced employees in that venture. Plaintiff was one of the employees to be terminated.

XES turned out not to be a profitable endeavor and, therefore, there never was an initial public stock offering. There was XES stock, but it was never publicly traded. Thus, when Xerox determined to reabsorb XES and not treat it as a wholly owned subsidiary, it rendered XES stock and the stock options held by plaintiff, and others, essentially worthless.

Plaintiff appealed to Xerox to reconsider its decision to reabsorb XES, and requested that Xerox consider offering the affected XES employees re-instatement into the Xerox Retirement Income Guaranty Plan, and replacement of XES stock options with Xerox stock options. Xerox declined to do so. In a letter to plaintiff on December 17, 2002, Xerox refused, explaining that “[t]he inability to sell XES led ... to [Xerox’s] decision to integrate portions of [XES] and close down the remainder. For everyone involved we wished there could have been a more positive outcome.” (Dkt. #1 at ¶ 47, Exh. E).

Two days later, on December 19, 2002, and in exchange for a salary continuance and other benefits, plaintiff signed a Release of Claims in favor of Xerox and XES (the “Release”). The Release released both entities from any and all claims, known and unknown, relating to the parties’ prior relationship, and acknowledged that it was made for valid consideration, and with the advice to seek legal counsel. Id.

Subsequently, plaintiff claims that he learned that despite its representation to the contrary, Xerox had in fact received and refused a cash purchase “offer” for XES, in the amount of one hundred million dollars. Plaintiff contends that he would not have signed the Release if he had known about the purchase offer, and alleges that his termination by Xerox as part of the XES reduction in force was wrongful, and that Xerox breached his contract and/or was unjustly enriched by its ac[198]*198tions. In response, Xerox argues that to the extent plaintiff has any claims' against Xerox arising out of the termination of his employment, those claims are barred by the Release, and/or are insufficiently stated.

DISCUSSION

I. Standard on a Motion to Dismiss

Rule 12(b)(6) provides that a complaint may be dismissed ,for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Fed. R. Civ. Proc. 12(b)(6). In deciding a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6), a court must “accept the allegations contained in the complaint as true, and draw all reasonable inferences in favor of the non-movant.” Sheppard v. Beerman, 18 F.3d 147, 150 (2d Cir.1994), citing Ad-Hoc Comm. of Baruch Black & Hispanic Alumni Ass’n v. Bernard M. Baruch College, 835 F.2d 980, 982 (2d Cir.1987). “[A] plaintiffs obligation ... requires more than labels and conclusions, and a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do. Factual allegations must be enough to raise a right to relief above the speculative level.” Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007) (citations omitted).

In determining whether plaintiff has stated a claim sounding in contract, a court’s review is generally limited to the Complaint itself. However, where, as here, additional documents are incorporated by reference and/or annexed to the Complaint, those documents may also be appropriately considered. See Savino v. Fiorella, 499 F.Supp.2d 306, 2007 WL 1726468 at *3, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 43284 at *10-*11 (W.D.N.Y.2007). For purposes of determining Xerox’s motion to dismiss, the relevant documentation thus includes the Release upon which Xerox relies, as well as documents and correspondence relating to Xerox’s offer of employment to plaintiff, and the XES Stock Option Program.

II. Validity of the Release

It is manifest that the Release signed by plaintiff, whereby he released Xerox and XES from all claims “even if I don’t know about the claim at this time,” applies to the claims asserted in this action. (Dkt. # 1 at Exh. F). However, plaintiff claims that the Release should be declared void, because he was induced to execute it by economic pressure and/or fraud.

First, plaintiffs contention that he was subjected to economic pressure to sign the Release, that allegation is insufficient to void the Release, because plaintiff at all times retained the consideration he received for it. See Davis v. Eastman Kodak Co., 2007 U.S. Dist.

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829 F. Supp. 2d 194, 53 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 1455, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 139214, 2011 WL 6030093, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kingsland-v-xerox-corp-nywd-2011.