A substantial settlement must be paid by a hotel and casino operator located in downtown Las Vegas due to a disability discrimination lawsuit brought forward by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The federal authority announced on Thursday that DTG Las Vegas, Fifth Street Gaming, and DTG Las Vegas Manager, companies responsible for the operation of the Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, are compelled to pay $720,000 as part of the settlement for the disability discrimination and retaliation lawsuit.
According to the EEOC, the company is accused of engaging in discriminatory practices against employees on multiple occasions since 2018. Among other things, the lawsuit alleges that the company proceeded with the termination of an employee who was required to use an ostomy bag following colon cancer. The EEOC further insists that the company failed to provide reasonable accommodation to its employees who were living with disabilities.
Several staff members of the Downtown Grand were allegedly compelled to resign due to these discriminatory practices, leaving them unable to continue their employment, as stated by the EEOC. The operator is also accused of implementing retaliation against former employees. The company was indicted by EEOC for “unlawfully retaliating against employees who exercised their rights to reasonable accommodations.”
“According to the company, employees who requested accommodations or sought to validate their rights under federal law through the EEOC, faced undesirable working conditions and discipline, including termination,”
reads an EEOC statement.
The EEOC Continues Its Vigilance
Michael Mendoza, the EEOC’s local director for Las Vegas, outlined the significance of the federal agency’s function. He added that the EEOC will persist with its mission of protecting the rights of disabled people under the laws that had been put into effect.
“The ADA safeguards disabled employees from discrimination while ensuring their right to reasonable accommodations for equal employment opportunity,”
Anna Park, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Los Angeles District.
Anna Park, the EEOC’s regional attorney for the Los Angeles District, which encompasses Las Vegas, spoke about how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) aids in protecting employees with disabilities from workplace discrimination. Also, she emphasized the importance of the ADA’s role in ensuring equal opportunities for employment of disabled individuals. Park concluded that this recent lawsuit further demonstrates the EEOC’s commitment to uphold the rights of people with disabilities.
