Vincent Steib v. Sony Pictures Television Inc.

I. INTRODUCTION

18 Plaintiff Vincent Steib initiated this employment discrimination action against 19 his employers, Defendants Sony Pictures Television Inc. and Beachwood Services, 20 Inc. in Los Angeles Superior Court. (Notice of Removal (“NOR”) Ex. 3 (“Compl.”), 21 ECF No. 1-3.) Defendants removed the case on the grounds that Steib’s claims are 22 completely preempted by § 301 of the Labor Management Relations Act (“LMRA”), 23 29 U.S.C. § 185. (NOR ¶ 1, ECF No. 1.) Steib moves to remand. (Mot. Remand 24 (“Mot.”) 7–8, ECF No. 13.) Defendants move to dismiss. (Mot. Dismiss (“MTD”), 25 ECF No. 11.) For the reasons that follow, the Court GRANTS IN PART and 26 DENIES IN PART both motions.1

28 1 Having carefully considered the papers filed in connection with the motions, the Court deemed the matters appropriate for decision without oral argument. Fed. R. Civ. P. 78; C.D. Cal. L.R. 7-15. II. BACKGROUND Vincent Steib is a 65-year-old African American male who has worked in the 3 television and film industry for over forty years and has won numerous awards and 4 accolades. (Compl. ¶ 9.) Beginning in approximately 2015…