Opinion
23-CV-1421(LTS)
06-12-2023
TERRENCE HANTON, Plaintiff, v. JAY LEUNG, ANTHONY COCUZZA, and NATALIE ESCHAVEZ, of CVS Pharmacy, Defendants.
ORDER TO AMEND
LAURA TAYLOR SWAIN, CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
Plaintiff, who is proceeding pro se, brings this action under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”), 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e to 2000e-17; the New York State Human Rights Law, N.Y. Exec. Law §§ 290 to 297; and the New York City Human Rights Law, N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 8-101 to 131. He alleges that Defendants discriminated and retaliated against him because of his religion and sexual orientation.
By order dated February 24, 2023, the Court granted Plaintiff's request to proceed in forma pauperis (“IFP”), that is, without prepayment of fees. For the reasons set forth below, the Court grants Plaintiff leave to file an amended complaint within 60 days of the date of this order.
STANDARD OF REVIEW
The Court must dismiss an IFP complaint, or any portion of the complaint, that is frivolous or malicious, fails to state a claim on which relief may be granted, or seeks monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B); see Livingston v. Adirondack Beverage Co., 141 F.3d 434, 437 (2d Cir. 1998). The Court must also dismiss a complaint when the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction of the claims raised. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(h)(3).
While the law mandates dismissal on any of these grounds, the Court is obliged to construe pro se pleadings liberally, Harris v. Mills, 572 F.3d 66, 72 (2d Cir. 2009), and interpret them to raise the “strongest [claims] that they suggest,” Triestman v. Fed. Bureau of Prisons, 470 F.3d 471, 474 (2d Cir. 2006) (internal quotation marks and citations omitted) (emphasis in original). But the “special solicitude” in pro se cases, id. at 475 (citation omitted), has its limits -to state a claim, pro se pleadings still must comply with Rule 8 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which requires a complaint to make a short and plain statement showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.
Rule 8 requires a complaint to include enough facts to state a claim for relief “that is plausible on its face.” Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570 (2007). A claim is facially plausible if the plaintiff pleads enough factual detail to allow the Court to draw the inference that the defendant is liable for the alleged misconduct. In reviewing the complaint, the Court must accept all well-pleaded factual allegations as true. Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678-79 (2009). But it does not have to accept as true “[t]hreadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action,” which are essentially just legal conclusions. Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555. After separating legal conclusions from well-pleaded factual allegations, the Court must determine whether those facts make it plausible - not merely possible - that the pleader is entitled to relief. Id.
BACKGROUND
Plaintiff brings this action against Natalie Eschavez, Anthony Cocuzza, and Jay Leung, alleging that they discriminated against him on the basis of his sexual orientation and religion while he was employed at CVS Pharmacy in Manhattan. Plaintiff asserts the following as the facts giving rise to his claims:
Natalie Eschavez did not allow me to transfer to other CVS Pharmacy locations once she was hired as Training General Manager during the COVID-19 pandemic since the physical store location eventually changed its operating hours that was
outside my work availability, And, made negative comments that was NOT a part of my sexual orientation about me, because she stated that the men that worked with her and affiliated with her were GAY!(ECF 1, at 5.)Plaintiff seeks injunctive relief and money damages.
The Court quotes from the complaint verbatim, and all spelling, irregular capitalization, grammar, and punctuation are as in the original, unless noted otherwise.
Plaintiff asserts that he filed a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) and received a Notice of Right to Sue on November 21, 2022. He does not attach the notice to the complaint.
DISCUSSION
A. Title VII Claims
Title VII provides that “[i]t shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer . . . to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individual's race, color, religion, sex or national origin.” 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a). Title VII also prohibits an employer from retaliating against an employee who has opposed any practice made unlawful by those statutes, or who has made a charge, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or litigation under the statutes. 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-3(a).
These antidiscrimination provisions prohibit employers from mistreating an individual because of the individual's protected characteristics, Patane v. Clark, 508 F.3d 106, 112 (2d Cir. 2007), or retaliating against an employee who has opposed any practice made unlawful by that statute, see Crawford v. Metro. Gov't, 555 U.S. 271, 276 (2009) (holding that conduct is protected when it “confront[s],” “resist[s],” or “withstand[s]” unlawful actions). Mistreatment at work that occurs for a reason other than an employee's protected characteristic or opposition to unlawful conduct is not actionable under Title VII. See Chukwuka v. City of New York, 513 Fed.Appx. 34, 36 (2d Cir. 2013) (quoting Brown v. Henderson, 257 F.3d 246, 252 (2d Cir. 2001)).
1. Plaintiff does not name proper defendants
Plaintiff cannot bring Title VII claims against Defendants Eschavez, Cocuzza, and Leung. Title VII only provides for the liability of an employer and other covered entities, such as an employment agency, labor organization, or joint labor-management committee. See 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2. The only proper defendant for an action under Title VII is a plaintiff's employer or other entities covered by the statute. See Chibuzor v. Corwin, No. 20-CV-9643, 2020 WL 6905304, at *2 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 23, 2020); Mira v. Kingston, 218 F.Supp.3d 229, 235 (S.D.N.Y. 2016). Individuals are not subject to liability under Title VII. See Wrighten v. Glowski, 232 F.3d 119, 120 (2d Cir. 2000); see also Tomka v. Seiler Corp., 66 F.3d 1295, 1313 (2d Cir. 1995) (“[I]ndividual defendants with supervisory control over a plaintiff may not be held personally liable under Title VII.”), abrogated on other grounds by Burlington Ind. v. Ellerth, 524 U.S. 742 (1998).
The Court must dismiss Plaintiff's Title VII claims against Defendants Eschavez, Cocuzza, and Leung, as they are not subject to liability under Title VII. The Court, however, grants Plaintiff leave to file an amended complaint in which he names the proper defendant or defendants for his claims. If Plaintiff asserts claims under Title VII in his amended complaint, he must name his employer as a defendant.
Plaintiff has also asserted claims under the New York State Human Rights Law and the New York City Human Rights Law. Although Title VII does not provide for individual liability, an individual “who actually participates in the conduct giving rise to the discrimination claim may be held personally liable” under the New York State Human Rights Law and this principle also applies to claims under the New York City Human Rights Law. Tomka, 66 F.3d at 1317; Feingold v. New York, 366 F.3d 138, 158-59 (2d Cir. 2004). Employer entities are also subject to liability under those laws.
2. Plaintiff does not state a claim under Title VII
At the pleading stage in a Title VII employment discrimination action, “a plaintiff must plausibly allege that (1) the employer took adverse employment action against him, and (2) his race, color, religion, sex, or national origin was a motivating factor in the employment decision.” Vega v. Hempstead Union Free Sch. Dist., 801 F.3d 72, 86 (2d Cir. 2015). The plaintiff “may do so by alleging facts that directly show discrimination or facts that indirectly show discrimination by giving rise to a plausible inference of discrimination.” Id. at 87. Title VII encompasses sex discrimination claims based on an individual's sexual orientation. Bostock v. Clayton Cnty., Georgia, 140 S.Ct. 1731, 1741-54 (2020).
Plaintiff's allegations are insufficient to state a claim for discrimination and retaliation under Title VII. He asserts that Eschavez did not allow him to transfer to another CVS Pharmacy and made comments, which he perceived were directed at his sexual orientation, but he does not allege facts suggesting that Eschavez's actions constitute discrimination or retaliation on the basis of his unidentified religion or his sexual orientation. Further, Plaintiff alleges no facts against Cocuzza or Leung. Without facts suggesting that his employer took adverse action against him because of his religion or sexual orientation, Plaintiff's assertions of discrimination and retaliation are not sufficient to “to nudge[ ] his claims . . . across the line from conceivable to plausible to proceed.” EEOC v. Port Authority of N.Y & N.J., 768 F.3d 247, 254 (2d Cir. 2014) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted).
B. State Law Claims
As noted above, Plaintiff also asserts claims under the New York State Human Rights Law and the New York City Human Rights Law. A district court may decline to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over state law claims when it “has dismissed all claims over which it has original jurisdiction.” 28 U.S.C. § 1367(c)(3). Generally, “when the federal-law claims have dropped out of the lawsuit in its early stages and only state-law claims remain, the federal court should decline the exercise of jurisdiction.” Carnegie-Mellon Univ. v. Cohill, 484 U.S. 343, 350 n.7 (1988)). It is not clear that Plaintiff can state any claims of which the Court has original jurisdiction, and thus the Court will determine at a later stage whether to exercise its supplemental jurisdiction of any state law claims Plaintiff is asserting. See Kolari v. New York-Presbyterian Hosp., 455 F.3d 118, 122 (2d Cir. 2006) (“Subsection (c) of § 1367 ‘confirms the discretionary nature of supplemental jurisdiction by enumerating the circumstances in which district courts can refuse its exercise.'”) (quoting City of Chicago v. Int'l Coll. of Surgeons, 522 U.S. 156, 173 (1997)).
LEAVE TO AMEND
Plaintiff proceeds in this matter without the benefit of an attorney. District courts generally should grant a self-represented plaintiff an opportunity to amend a complaint to cure its defects, unless amendment would be futile. See Hill v. Curcione, 657 F.3d 116, 123-24 (2d Cir. 2011); Salahuddin v. Cuomo, 861 F.2d 40, 42 (2d Cir. 1988). Indeed, the Second Circuit has cautioned that district courts “should not dismiss [a pro se complaint] without granting leave to amend at least once when a liberal reading of the complaint gives any indication that a valid claim might be stated.” Cuoco v. Moritsugu, 222 F.3d 99, 112 (2d Cir. 2000) (quoting Gomez v. USAA Fed. Sav. Bank, 171 F.3d 794, 795 (2d Cir. 1999)). Because Plaintiff may be able to allege additional facts to state valid claims under Title VII, the Court grants Plaintiff 60 days' leave to amend his complaint to detail his claims against his employer and any other defendants.
Plaintiff is granted leave to amend his complaint to provide more facts about his claims. In the “Statement of Claim” section of the amended complaint form, Plaintiff must provide a short and plain statement of the relevant facts supporting each claim against each defendant. If Plaintiff has an address for any named defendant, Plaintiff must provide it. Plaintiff should include all of the information in the amended complaint that Plaintiff wants the Court to consider in deciding whether the amended complaint states a claim for relief. That information should include:
a) the names and titles of all relevant people;
b) a description of all relevant events, including what each defendant did or failed to do, the approximate date and time of each event, and the general location where each event occurred;
c) a description of the injuries Plaintiff suffered; and
d) the relief Plaintiff seeks, such as money damages, injunctive relief, or declaratory relief.
Essentially, Plaintiff's amended complaint should tell the Court: who violated his federally protected rights and how; when and where such violations occurred; and why Plaintiff is entitled to relief.
Because Plaintiff's amended complaint will completely replace, not supplement, the original complaint, any facts or claims that Plaintiff wants to include from the original complaint must be repeated in the amended complaint. Plaintiff may also attach to the amended complaint a copy of the Notice of Right to Sue he received from the EEOC.
CONCLUSION
Plaintiff is granted leave to file an amended complaint that complies with the standards set forth above. Plaintiff must submit the amended complaint to this Court's Pro Se Intake Unit within 60 days of the date of this order, caption the document as an “Amended Complaint,” and label the document with docket number 23-CV-1421 (LTS). An Amended Complaint for Employment Discrimination form is attached to this order. No summons will issue at this time. If Plaintiff fails to comply within the time allowed, and he cannot show good cause to excuse such failure, the complaint will be dismissed for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. All other pending matters in this case are terminated.
The Court certifies under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3) that any appeal from this order would not be taken in good faith, and therefore IFP status is denied for the purpose of an appeal. Cf. Coppedge v. United States, 369 U.S. 438, 444-45 (1962) (holding that an appellant demonstrates good faith when he seeks review of a nonfrivolous issue).
SO ORDERED.
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
___Write the full name of each plaintiff.
-against
__Write the full name of each defendant. The names listed above must be identical to those contained in Section I.
__CV___
(Include case number if one has been assigned)
Do you want a jury trial?
[ ] Yes [ ] No
AMENDED EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT
NOTICE
The public can access electronic court files. For privacy and security reasons, papers filed with the court should therefore not contain: an individual's full social security number or full birth date; the full name of a person known to be a minor; or a complete financial account number. A filing may include only: the last four digits of a social security number; the year of an individual's birth; a minor's initials; and the last four digits of a financial account number. See Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2.
I. PARTIES
A. Plaintiff Information
Provide the following information for each plaintiff named in the complaint. Attach additional pages if needed.
First Name___ Middle Initial ___Last Name___
Street Address___
County, City ___State ___Zip Code___
Telephone Number___ Email Address (if available)___
B. Defendant Information
To the best of your ability, provide addresses where each defendant may be served. If the correct information is not provided, it could delay or prevent service of the complaint on the defendant. Make sure that the defendants listed below are the same as those listed in the caption. (Proper defendants under employment discrimination statutes are usually employers, labor organizations, or employment agencies.) Attach additional pages if needed.
Defendant 1:___
Name___
Address where defendant may be served___
County, City___ State___ Zip Code___
Defendant 2:___
Name
Address where defendant may be served___
County, City ___State ___Zip Code___
Defendant 3:___
Name___
Address where defendant may be served___
County, City___ State___ Zip Code___
II. PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT
The address at which I was employed or sought employment by the defendant(s) is:
Name___
Address___
County, City ___State ___Zip Code___
III. CAUSE OF ACTION
A. Federal Claims
This employment discrimination lawsuit is brought under (check only the options below that apply in your case):
[] Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e to 2000e-17, for employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin
The defendant discriminated against me because of my (check only those that apply and explain):
[ ] race:___
[ ] color: ___
[ ] religion:___
[ ]sex: ___
[] national origin:___
[ ] 42 U.S.C. § 1981, for intentional employment discrimination on the basis of race
My race is: ___
[ ] Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, 29 U.S.C. §§ 621 to 634, for employment discrimination on the basis of age (40 or older)
I was born in the year:___
[ ]Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. §§ 701 to 796, for employment discrimination on the basis of a disability by an employer that constitutes a program or activity receiving federal financial assistance
My disability or perceived disability is: ___
[ ] Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101 to 12213, for employment discrimination on the basis of a disability
My disability or perceived disability is: ___
[ ] Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, 29 U.S.C. §§ 2601 to 2654, for employment discrimination on the basis of leave for qualified medical or family reasons
B. Other Claims
In addition to my federal claims listed above, I assert claims under:
[ ] New York State Human Rights Law, N.Y. Exec. Law §§ 290 to 297, for employment discrimination on the basis of age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status
[ ]New York City Human Rights Law, N.Y. City Admin. Code §§ 8-101 to 131, for employment discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived age, race, creed, color, national origin, gender, disability, marital status, partnership status, sexual orientation, alienage, citizenship status
[ ]Other (may include other relevant federal, state, city, or county law):___
IV. STATEMENT OF CLAIM
A. Adverse Employment Action
The defendant or defendants in this case took the following adverse employment actions against me (check only those that apply):
[ ] did not hire me
[ ] terminated my employment
[ ] did not promote me
[ ] did not accommodate my disability
[ ] provided me with terms and conditions of employment different from those of similar employees
[ ] retaliated against me
[ ] harassed me or created a hostile work environment
[ ] other (specify):___
B. Facts
State here the facts that support your claim. Attach additional pages if needed. You should explain what actions defendants took (or failed to take) because of your protected characteristic, such as your race, disability, age, or religion. Include times and locations, if possible. State whether defendants are continuing to commit these acts against you.___
As additional support for your claim, you may attach any charge of discrimination that you filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the New York State Division of Human Rights, the New York City Commission on Human Rights, or any other government agency.
V. ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
For most claims under the federal employment discrimination statutes, before filing a lawsuit, you must first file a charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and receive a Notice of Right to Sue.
Did you file a charge of discrimination against the defendant(s) with the EEOC or any other government agency?
[ ] Yes (Please attach a copy of the charge to this complaint.)
When did you file your charge?__
[ ] No
Have you received a Notice of Right to Sue from the EEOC?
[ ] Yes (Please attach a copy of the Notice of Right to Sue.)
What is the date on the Notice?__
When did you receive the Notice?__
[ ] No
VI. RELIEF
The relief I want the court to order is (check only those that apply):
[ ] direct the defendant to hire me
[ ] direct the defendant to re-employ me
[ ] direct the defendant to promote me
[ ] direct the defendant to reasonably accommodate my religion
[ ] direct the defendant to reasonably accommodate my disability
[ ] direct the defendant to (specify) (if you believe you are entitled to money damages, explain that here)___
VII. PLAINTIFF'S CERTIFICATION
By signing below, I certify to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief that: (1) the complaint is not being presented for an improper purpose (such as to harass, cause unnecessary delay, or needlessly increase the cost of litigation); (2) the claims are supported by existing law or by a nonfrivolous argument to change existing law; (3) the factual contentions have evidentiary support or, if specifically so identified, will likely have evidentiary support after a reasonable opportunity for further investigation or discovery; and (4) the complaint otherwise complies with the requirements of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11.
I agree to notify the Clerk's Office in writing of any changes to my mailing address. I understand that my failure to keep a current address on file with the Clerk's Office may result in the dismissal of my case.
Each Plaintiff must sign and date the complaint. Attach additional pages if necessary. If seeking to proceed without prepayment of fees, each plaintiff must also submit an IFP application.
Dated __Plaintiff's Signature__
First Name __Middle Initial __Last Name__
Street Address__
County, City __State __Zip Code__
Telephone Number Email Address (if available)__
I have read the attached Pro Se (Nonprisoner) Consent to Receive Documents Electronically:
[ ] Yes [ ] No
If you do consent to receive documents electronically, submit the completed form with your complaint. If you do not consent, please do not attach the form.
Pro Se (Nonprisoner) Consent to Receive Documents Electronically
Parties who are not represented by an attorney and are not currently incarcerated may choose to receive documents in their cases electronically (by e-mail) instead of by regular mail. Receiving documents by regular mail is still an option, but if you would rather receive them only electronically, you must do the following:
1. Sign up for a PACER login and password by contacting PACER at www.pacer.uscourts.gov or 1-800-676-6856;
Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) (www.pacer.uscourts.gov) is an electronic public access service that allows users to obtain case and docket information from federal appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts, and the PACER Case Locator over the internet.
2. Complete and sign this form.
If you consent to receive documents electronically, you will receive a Notice of Electronic Filing by e-mail each time a document is filed in your case. After receiving the notice, you are permitted one “free look” at the document by clicking on the hyperlinked document number in the e-mail. Once you click the hyperlink and access the document, you may not be able to access the document for free again. After 15 days, the hyperlink will no longer provide free access. Any time that the hyperlink is accessed after the first “free look” or the 15 days, you will be asked for a PACER login and may be charged to view the document. For this reason, you should print or save the document during the “free look” to avoid future charges.
You must review the Court's actual order, decree, or judgment and not rely on the description in the email notice alone. See ECF Rule 4.3
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Under Rule 5 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Local Civil Rule 5.2, and the Court's Electronic Case Filing Rules & Instructions, documents may be served by electronic means. If you register for electronic service:
1. You will no longer receive documents in the mail;
2. If you do not view and download your documents during your “free look” and within 15 days of when the court sends the e-mail notice, you will be charged for looking at the documents;
3. This service does not allow you to electronically file your documents;
4. It will be your duty to regularly review the docket sheet of the case.
The docket sheet is the official record of all filings in a case. You can view the docket sheet, including images of electronically filed documents, using PACER or you can use one of the public access computers available in the Clerk's Office at the Court.
CONSENT TO ELECTRONIC SERVICE
I hereby consent to receive electronic service of notices and documents in my case(s) listed below. I affirm that:
1. I have regular access to my e-mail account and to the internet and will check regularly for Notices of Electronic Filing;
2. I have established a PACER account;
3. I understand that electronic service is service under Rule 5 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Rule 5.2 of the Local Civil Rules, and that I will no longer receive paper copies of case filings, including motions, decisions, orders, and other documents;
4. I will promptly notify the Court if there is any change in my personal data, such as name, address, or e-mail address, or if I wish to cancel this consent to electronic service;
5. I understand that I must regularly review the docket sheet of my case so that I do not miss a filing; and
6. I understand that this consent applies only to the cases listed below and that if I file additional cases in which I would like to receive electronic service of notices of documents, I must file consent forms for those cases.
Civil case(s) filed in the Southern District of New York:
Note: This consent will apply to all cases that you have filed in this court, so please list all of your pending and terminated cases. For each case, include the case name and docket number (for example, John Doe v. New City, 10-CV-01234).__
Name (Last, First, MI)__
Address __City__ State __Zip Code__
Telephone Number __E-mail Address__
Date__ Signature__
Return completed form to:
Pro Se Intake Unit (Room 200)
500 Pearl Street
New York, NY 10007