Nishiyama v. North American Rockwell Corp.

49 F.R.D. 288, 2 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 501, 1970 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12460, 2 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 10,197
CourtDistrict Court, C.D. California
DecidedMarch 18, 1970
DocketCiv. No. 68-1423-AAH
StatusPublished
Cited by27 cases

This text of 49 F.R.D. 288 (Nishiyama v. North American Rockwell Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, C.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Nishiyama v. North American Rockwell Corp., 49 F.R.D. 288, 2 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 501, 1970 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12460, 2 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 10,197 (C.D. Cal. 1970).

Opinion

DECISION, FINDINGS OF FACT, and CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

HAUK, District Judge.

This case comes before us upon Defendant’s motion to dismiss a complaint wherein his employee alleges that the employer has violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 19641 by discriminating against him in promotions because of his race. Plaintiff seeks promotion to the appropriate job classification, reimbursement for all compensation lost due to Defendant’s alleged discriminatory failure to promote Plaintiff, punitive damages, attorneys fees, costs, and injunctive relief. This Court has jurisdiction pursuant to Section 706(f) of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(f).2

[290]*290Plaintiff has been an employee of Defendant, North American Rockwell Corporation since 1960. On February 13, 1968, the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (hereinafter “EEOC”) received a charge from Plaintiff wherein he alleged that Defendant had violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (hereinafter the “Act”) by discriminating against Plaintiff solely because of his race. Pursuant to Section 706(b) of the Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5 (b), the EEOC could not assume jurisdiction over the charge filed by Plaintiff until the expiration of sixty days after proceedings had been commenced under the California Fair Employment Practice Act, Calif.Labor Code, §§ 1410-1433. (West Supp., 1970) Following standard procedures,3 the EEOC on March 13, 1968, forwarded a copy of the charge to the California Fair Employment Practice Commission. By letter dated May 22, 1968, Mr. Lorenzo H. Traylor, Director of the Los Angeles Field Office of the EEOC, informed Plaintiff that the “deferral period” required by Section 706 (b) had expired, that the EEOC had not been notified of the decision of the California Fair Employment Practice Commission, and that Plaintiff could now request the EEOC to exercise jurisdiction by signing and returning to the EEOC the “Request for Commission Jurisdiction” form which was enclosed in the letter. Plaintiff signed and returned the form on May 24, 1968, and by letter dated August 5, 1968, the EEOC advised Plaintiff that it had been unable to achieve voluntary compliance with the Act. The present action was filed with this Court on August 27, 1968.

Plaintiff alleges in the Complaint that he has filed a charge with the EEOC which notified Plaintiff by letter dated August 5, 1968 that he could institute the present action. Further, Plaintiff alleges “that at all times since plaintiff’s employment, defendant discriminated against plaintiff with respect to the compensation paid plaintiff, plaintiff’s job classification, and the terms and conditions of plaintiff's employment solely because of plaintiff’s race; and that although plaintiff has a B.S. Degree in Electronic Engineering, he has not been given promotions and pay increases commensurate with his education, training and ability, and receives compensation less than that received by Caucasians.”

Based upon the allegations of the Complaint, Defendant has moved,, pursuant to Rules 12(b) (1), 12(b) (6), and 8(a) (1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, to dismiss the Complaint on the grounds that the Court lacks jurisdiction over the subject matter and that Plaintiff has failed to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.

After reviewing the Complaint, Defendant’s Memorandum of Points and Authorities, Defendant’s Exhibits, Plaintiff’s Memorandum of Points and Authorities, and Plaintiff’s Exhibits, and after hearing extensive oral arguments from all counsel, this Court is fully advised in the premises and thus orders for the following reasons that Defendant’s motion to dismiss be granted with leave to amend.

DECISION

This Court Has Subject Matter Jurisdiction Of The Complaint.

When Plaintiff’s charge was received by the EEOC on February 13, 1968, the EEOC did not have jurisdiction [291]*291over the charge. Section 706(b) of the Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(b) provides:

“In the case of an alleged unlawful employment practice occurring in a State, or political subdivision of a State, which has a State or local law prohibiting the unlawful employment practice alleged and establishing or authorizing a State or local authority to grant or seek relief from such practice or to institute criminal proceedings with respect thereto upon receiving notice thereof, no charge may be filed under subsection (a) of this section by the person aggrieved before the expiration of sixty days after proceedings have been commenced under the State or local law, unless such proceedings have been earlier terminated, * *

Since California has a state law prohibiting racial discrimination and providing a remedy for such discrimination, Calif. Labor Code §§ 1410-1433, it is clear that the mandatory language of Section 706 (b) of the Act requires the EEOC to defer to the California procedure for the statutory period. California adopted the Fair Employment Practice Act in 1959 and under it proceedings can be commenced by any person claiming to be aggrieved by an alleged unlawful employment practice by filing with the California commission a verified complaint in writing which states the name and address of the person, employer, labor organization or employment agency alleged to have committed the unlawful employment practice and which sets forth the particulars of the alleged unlawful employment practice. Calif.Labor Code, § 1422 (West Supp., 1970).

The charge received by the EEOC from Plaintiff was forwarded to the California Fair Employment Practice Commission on March 13, 1968. Section 706 (a) of the Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(a), requires a charge to the EEOC alleging an unlawful employment practice by an employer to be “in writing under oath by a person claiming to be aggrieved, * * ” On May 22, 1968, Plaintiff was informed by the EEOC that the mandatory “deferral period” had expired, and on May 24, 1968, Plaintiff requested the EEOC to assume jurisdiction of his charge. After considering the requirements of Sections 706(a) and (b) of the Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e-5(a) and (b), this Court concludes that the combination of the untimely charge that was filed with the EEOC on February 13, 1968, and the request for the EEOC to assume jurisdiction that was signed by the Plaintiff on May 24, 1968, resulted in an appropriate and proper filing of a charge with the EEOC within the meaning and intent of the applicable sections of the Act.4

The trend of recent decisions demonstrates that courts are liberally construing the filing requirements of the Act. See, IBEW, Local Union No. 5 v. EEOC, 398 F.2d 248 (3rd Cir., 1968), cert. denied 393 U.S. 1021, 89 S.Ct. 628, 21 L.Ed.2d 565 (1969); Vigil v. American Tel. & Tel. Co., 305 F.Supp. 44 (D.Colo., 1969); and Marques v. Sales Office, Ford Motor Co., 61 L.C. ¶ 1332 (D.Neb., 1968).

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49 F.R.D. 288, 2 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 501, 1970 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12460, 2 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 10,197, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/nishiyama-v-north-american-rockwell-corp-cacd-1970.