Opinion ID: 501771
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Claim under Title VII

Text: 26 The district court also dismissed Karim-Panahi's employment discrimination claim under Title VII, 42 U.S.C. Secs. 2000e-2, 2000e-3, 2000e-5. Before bringing suit under Title VII, a plaintiff must exhaust the administrative remedies available under section 2000e-5. Plaintiff must file a discrimination charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and receive a right-to-sue letter from the Commission. 42 U.S.C. Sec. 2000e-5(f)(1); Wrighten v. Metropolitan Hospitals, Inc., 726 F.2d 1346, 1351 & n. 3 (9th Cir.1984). Failure to observe these requirements renders a suit subject to dismissal in the absence of any equitable consideration to the contrary. Zipes v. Trans World Airlines, Inc., 455 U.S. 385, 393, 102 S.Ct. 1127, 1132, 71 L.Ed.2d 234 (1982); Wrighten, 726 F.2d at 1351 & n. 3. 27 Karim-Panahi fails to allege that he filed a discrimination charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission concerning the conduct of the defendants subsequent to February 28, 1984, the date of decision in an earlier employment discrimination case instituted by Karim-Panahi against several of the same defendants. Instead, the amended complaint alleges that [a]ll necessary administrative procedures for action under [Title VII] have been utilized in the previous cases against these defendants. Amended Complaint p 33. Karim-Panahi's Title VII claim was properly dismissed. When the district court dismisses a pro se Title VII complaint on the ground that plaintiff has failed to allege the receipt of a right-to-sue letter, however, plaintiff must be granted leave to amend the pleading to cure the defect. See Jones v. Bechtel, 788 F.2d 571, 573 (9th Cir.1986) (where complaint failed to allege receipt of right-to-sue letter but plaintiff received such letter after complaint was filed, district court erred in dismissing complaint without affording pro se plaintiff an opportunity to amend complaint to allege receipt of letter). On remand, the district court should advise Karim-Panahi of the necessity of alleging receipt of a right-to-sue letter. 4