Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_20-cv-00123/USCOURTS-cand-3_20-cv-00123-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 445
Nature of Suit: Americans with Disabilities Act - Employment
Cause of Action: 42:1981 Civil Rights

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

NATALIA HOWELL,

Plaintiff,

v.

GARDEN OF EDEN, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 20-cv-00123-JSC 

SCREENING ORDER

Natalia Howell brings this employment discrimination action against her former employer 

Garden of Eden, and two individuals: Soufyan Abouahmed and Shareef Radwan El-Sissi. (Dkt. 

No. 1.) Having granted Ms. Howell’s application to proceed in forma pauperis, (see Dkt. No. 4), 

the Court now screens the complaint pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915. 

COMPLAINT ALLEGATIONS

Plaintiff alleges that she was injured while moving boxes at her workplace, Garden of 

Eden, 21227 Foothill Blvd. Hayward, California. (Dkt. No. 1 at 3.) Although she was in 

excruciating pain, her supervisor, Andrew Do, refused to let her leave work to seek medical 

attention. (Id. at 4.) When she went to obtain medical assistance the next day, they noted that her 

back was inflamed and that she should have come in right away. (Id.) She was given a cane and 

referred to physical therapy. (Id.) She was later told that her employer denied her claim for 

workers compensation, unemployment, and disability. (Id.) 

Ms. Howell pleads two claims for relief: (1) a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act,

and (2) a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). Both claims list Garden of 

Eden and Andrew Do as the Defendants. With respect to her Title VII claim, Plaintiff alleges that 

she “was denied time off, shift changes, advancements and raises while other employees nonCase 3:20-cv-00123-JSC Document 7 Filed 03/09/20 Page 1 of 4
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

African-American, androgynous lesbians were given the opportunities.” (Id. at p. 5.) For her 

ADA claim, Plaintiff contends that she was terminated while out on disability. 

LEGAL STANDARD

The Court has a continuing duty to dismiss any case in which a party is proceeding in 

forma pauperis upon a determination that the case is: (1) frivolous or malicious; (2) fails to state a 

claim on which relief may be granted; or (3) seeks monetary relief against a defendant who is 

immune from such relief. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2). The standard of review under 28 U.S.C. § 

1915(e)(2) mirrors that of Rule 12(b)(6). Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1126-27 (9th Cir. 2000). 

Thus, the complaint must allege “enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its 

face.” Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570 (2007). A facial plausibility standard is not 

a “probability requirement” but mandates “more than a sheer possibility that a defendant has acted 

unlawfully.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (internal quotation marks and citations 

omitted). To avoid dismissal, a complaint must contain more than “naked assertion[s],” “labels 

and conclusions” or “a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action.” Twombly, 550 

U.S. at 555-57. “A claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that 

allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct 

alleged.” Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678.When a plaintiff files a complaint without being represented by a 

lawyer, the court must “construe the pleadings liberally . . . to afford the petitioner the benefit of 

any doubt.” Hebbe v. Pliler, 627 F.3d 338, 342 (9th Cir. 2010) (internal quotation marks and 

citation omitted). 

DISCUSSION

Although Plaintiff lists Garden of Eden, Soufyan Abouahmed, and Shareef Radwan ElSissi as defendants on page 2 of her Complaint, she does not include any allegations or other 

references to Soufyan Abouahmed, and Shareef Radwan El-Sissi in her Complaint. Rather, her 

two claims list Garden of Eden and Andrew Do as defendants. (Dkt. No. 1 at 5-6.) The 

complaint thus fails to state a claim for either a violation of Title VII or the ADA as to Soufyan 

Abouahmed, and Shareef Radwan El-Sissi. 

Case 3:20-cv-00123-JSC Document 7 Filed 03/09/20 Page 2 of 4
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CONCLUSION

For the reasons set forth above, Ms. Howell’s complaint fails to state a claim for relief 

against either Soufyan Abouahmed, or Shareef Radwan El-Sissi. Within 30 days, Ms. Howell

shall file an amended complaint with additional allegations as to these defendants or omitting 

these defendants from her claims. In addition, if she wishes to name Andrew Do as a defendant, 

she should clarify this in her amended complaint. Because Ms. Howell is proceeding without an 

attorney, the Court encourages her to seek free assistance from the Northern District’s Legal Help 

Center, in San Francisco at 450 Golden Gate Avenue, 15th Floor, Room 2796, San Francisco, CA 

94102, or in Oakland at: 1301 Clay Street 4th Floor, Room 470S Oakland, CA 94612. Ms. 

Howell can make an appointment by calling (415) 792-8982.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 9, 2020

JACQUELINE SCOTT CORLEY

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 3:20-cv-00123-JSC Document 7 Filed 03/09/20 Page 3 of 4
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

NATALIA HOWELL,

Plaintiff,

v.

GARDEN OF EDEN, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 20-cv-00123-JSC 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S. 

District Court, Northern District of California.

That on March 9, 2020, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the attached, by placing 

said copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s) hereinafter listed, by 

depositing said envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into an inter-office delivery 

receptacle located in the Clerk's office.

Natalia Howell

1720 Crater Peak Way

Antioch, CA 94531 

Dated: March 9, 2020

Susan Y. Soong

Clerk, United States District Court

By:________________________

Ada Means, Deputy Clerk to the 

Honorable JACQUELINE SCOTT CORLEY

Case 3:20-cv-00123-JSC Document 7 Filed 03/09/20 Page 4 of 4