Miles v. Bellfontaine Habilitation Center
| Decision Date | 12 April 2007 |
| Docket Number | No. 06-2318.,06-2318. |
| Citation | 481 F.3d 1106 |
| Parties | Jennifer MILES, Appellant, v. BELLFONTAINE HABILITATION CENTER, Appellee. |
| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals — Eighth Circuit |
Jennifer Miles, St. Louis, MO, pro se.
Denise Leanne Thomas, and Michael S. Meyers, Asst. Atty. Generals, St. Louis, MO, for appellee.
Before RILEY, HANSEN, and MELLOY, Circuit Judges.
Jennifer Miles (Miles) appeals from the district court's dismissal of her pro se Title VII employment discrimination and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) action against Bellefontaine Habilitation Center (the Center). Upon de novo review, see Atkinson v. Bohn, 91 F.3d 1127, 1128 (8th Cir.1996) (per curiam); Thomas v. FAG Bearings Corp., 50 F.3d 502, 504 (8th Cir. 1995), we affirm in part and reverse in part.
The district court properly dismissed with prejudice Miles's FMLA claim, which was brought under FMLA's self-care provisions. As an agency of the state of Missouri, see Mo. Const. art. IV, § 12; Mo.Rev.Stat. § 630.003.1.5, the Center is entitled to Eleventh Amendment immunity from the claim, see Townsel v. Missouri, 233 F.3d 1094, 1096 (8th Cir. 2000), overruled in part by Nev. Dep't of Human Res. v. Hibbs, 538 U.S. 721, 735-37, 123 S.Ct. 1972, 155 L.Ed.2d 953 (2003); cf. Brockman v. Wyo. Dep't of Family Servs., 342 F.3d 1159, 1164, 1165 n. 3 (10th Cir.2003) ().
We conclude, however, the district court improperly dismissed Miles's Title VII claim for failure to plead sufficiently she had exhausted her administrative remedies. Miles's complaint needed only to contain a "short and plain statement" establishing the court's jurisdiction and her entitlement to relief. See Fed. R.Civ.P. 8(a). While Miles was required to exhaust her administrative remedies with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) before bringing suit, see Williams v. Little Rock Mun. Water Works, 21 F.3d 218, 222 (8th Cir.1994), failure to exhaust administrative remedies is an affirmative defense that a defendant must prove, see Miller v. Runyon, 32 F.3d 386, 388 (8th Cir.1994). Miles stated in her form complaint she filed a charge with the EEOC concerning the alleged discrimination and retaliation described in her complaint, and she attached a right-to-sue letter the EEOC issued in January 2006. Defendant's motion to dismiss did not challenge this statement. We know of no authority requiring Miles to...
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...administrative remedies under Title VII is an affirmative defense that a defendant must prove. Miles v. Bellfontaine Habilitation Ctr., 481 F.3d 1106, 1107 (8th Cir. 2007) (per curiam). Further, "[a] claim may not be dismissed under Rule 12(b)(6) or Rule 56 where questions of material fact ......
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...See 626 F.3d 187 (C.A.4 2010) (case below); Nelson v. University of Tex., 535 F.3d 318 (C.A.5 2008) ; Miles v. Bellfontaine Habilitation Center, 481 F.3d 1106 (C.A.8 2007)(per curiam); Toeller v. Wisconsin Dept. of Corrections, 461 F.3d 871 (C.A.7 2006) ; Touvell v. Ohio Dept. of Mental Ret......
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...v. Federated Metals Corp. , 867 S.W.2d 113 (Tex. App.—Austin 1993, no writ), §30:7.B.1 Miles v. Bellfontaine Habilitation Ctr., 481 F.3d 1106, 1107 (8th Cir. 2007), §25:2.D.3 Milkovich v. Lorain Journal Co. , 497 U.S. 1, 110 S.Ct. 2695 (1990), §§29:2.B.3.c, 29:2.B.3.d Millazzo v. Universal ......