Lindsey v. District of Columbia

708 F. Supp. 2d 43, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 40144, 2010 WL 1628802
CourtDistrict Court, District of Columbia
DecidedApril 23, 2010
DocketCivil Action 09-945(RMC)
StatusPublished

This text of 708 F. Supp. 2d 43 (Lindsey v. District of Columbia) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lindsey v. District of Columbia, 708 F. Supp. 2d 43, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 40144, 2010 WL 1628802 (D.D.C. 2010).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

ROSEMARY M. COLLYER, District Judge.

Nicole B. Lindsey, formerly an officer with the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”), was terminated from her job in January 2005 and ordered reinstated by an arbitrator on February 24, 2006. She returned to work on October 14, 2007, and received backpay from the District on March 10, 2008. She sues here under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq., for payment of overtime pay while she was out of work and for damages because her backpay was received so late. The District has moved to dismiss pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) or, in the alternative, for summary judgment. See Dkt. # 6. Whether Ms. Lindsey should have been compensated for overtime she did not have an opportunity to work because of an improper discharge is a question for the arbitrator to resolve. It is not an FLSA issue. Similarly, if the District improperly dragged its feet in issuing a backpay check to Ms. Lindsey, she may have a contract grievance for the Fraternal Order of Police to consider; it is not an FLSA issue. The Complaint will be dismissed for failure to state a claim on which relief might be granted.

I. FACTS

Ms. Lindsey became a police officer on July 11, 1994, and had attained the rank of sergeant when, on July 6, 2004, MPD proposed her removal from employment. Compl. ¶¶ 6-7. The proposal was made 321 days after MPD first became aware of the allegations of misconduct by Ms. Lindsey. Id. ¶ 7. On July 7, 2004, Ms. Lindsey sought a hearing before an MPD Adverse Action Trial Board. Id. ¶ 8. She appeared before the Trial Board on October 13, 2004, and received its Final Notice of Adverse Action, recommending her termination, on November 19, 2004. Id. ¶¶ 9-10. The recommendation was approved by former Assistant Chief of MPD Human Services, Shannon Cockett. Ms. Lindsey appealed to the then-Chief of Police, Charles H. Ramsey, on November 29, 2004. Id. ¶ 11. She argued that the termination was inappropriate because it violated a rule under the collective bargaining agreement that required all adverse actions be taken by MPD within 55 days of employee misconduct. Chief Ramsey denied her appeal on December 22, 2004, and she was officially terminated in January of 2005. Id. ¶ 12.

Through the Fraternal Order of Police, Ms. Lindsey grieved and sought arbitration. The parties selected Arbitrator Irwin Socoloff to hear the matter. Id. ¶ 14. In his decision, the Arbitrator concluded: “The grievant’s termination is rescinded; she shall be reinstated with backpay and benefits and restoration of lost promotional opportunities.” Pl.’s Am. Mem. In Opp’n (“Pl.’s Mem.”) [Dkt. #14], Ex. 2 (Arbitrator’s Opinion and Award) at 8. Acting Chief of Police Cathy Lanier approved the reinstatement of Ms. Lindsey on September 13, 2007, and also approved a ret *45 roactive promotion to the position of Lieutenant. Am. Compl. ¶ 19. Assistant Chief Crockett notified Ms. Lindsey of her reinstatement by letter dated September 14, 2007. Id. ¶ 20. Ms. Lindsey actually returned to work on October 14, 2007, at the rank of lieutenant, with retroactive seniority in the position (which was outside the bargaining unit). Id. ¶ 21.

In early 2007, prior to her reinstatement but following the Arbitrator’s order, Ms. Lindsey attempted to register for the Captain’s promotional examination in the MPD Third District. Id. ¶ 16. She was not permitted to sit for the exam because she was not on active duty when the exam was administered in April 2007. Id. ¶ 18. As a result, she was not reinstated to a captain’s rank and was not paid a captain’s salary. Id. ¶ 22. Ms. Lindsey also claims significant amounts of overtime between November 19, 2004, when she was put on paid administrative leave, and October 14, 2007, when she was reinstated. Id. ¶ 23. She states that she typically worked ten (10) hours per day while on normal duty prior to her termination, in addition to various emergencies during the time she was out of work that required all officers to work longer hours. Id. 24-25.

Ms. Lindsey complained about these issues, through counsel, to the MPD in late December 2007. Id. ¶ 28. MPD responded in March 2008, denying that it owed her any additional backpay, overtime compensation, or promotional placements. Id. ¶ 29.

This suit was filed on May 19, 2009. A First Amended Complaint was filed on October 1, 2009. Count 1 alleges untimely payment of owed back wages and Count 2 alleges willful failure to pay overtime.

II. LEGAL STANDARDS

A motion to dismiss pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) challenges the adequacy of a complaint on its face, testing whether a plaintiff has properly stated a claim. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a) requires that a complaint contain “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(a). A complaint must be sufficient “to give a defendant fair notice of what the ... claim is and the grounds upon which it rests.” Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007) (internal citations omitted). Although a complaint does not need detailed factual allegations, a plaintiffs obligation to provide the grounds of his entitlement to relief “requires more than labels and conclusions, and a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do.” Id. The facts alleged “must be enough to raise a right to relief above the speculative level.” Id. Rule 8(a) requires an actual showing and not just a blanket assertion of a right to relief. Id. at 555 n. 3, 127 S.Ct. 1955. “[A] complaint needs some information about the circumstances giving rise to the claims.” Aktieselskabet AF 21. Nov. 2001 v. Fame Jeans, Inc., 525 F.3d 8,16 n. 4 (D.C.Cir.2008) (emphasis in original).

In deciding a motion under Rule 12(b)(6), a court may consider the facts alleged in the complaint, documents attached to the complaint as exhibits or incorporated by reference, and matters about which the court may take judicial notice. Abhe & Svoboda, Inc. v. Chao, 508 F.3d 1052, 1059 (D.C.Cir.2007). To survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to state a claim for relief that is “plausible on its face.” Twombly,

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Bluebook (online)
708 F. Supp. 2d 43, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 40144, 2010 WL 1628802, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lindsey-v-district-of-columbia-dcd-2010.