Suit settled
A religious discrimination lawsuit filed by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against Venetian Casino Resort LLC has finally been resolved via an $850,000 settlement.
The EEOC filed the suit before Apollo Global Management and VICI Properties purchased the Venetian from Las Vegas Sands for $6.25bn in February 2022.
The Commission took to X Thursday to say the Vegas casino resort will pay the settlement “to a class of employees, of diverse faiths, who claimed denial of religious accommodation”:
The EEOC had alleged the “Venetian retaliated against employees who opposed these acts of religious discrimination. In some cases, the denial of accommodations led to discipline, denial of promotion opportunities, and discharges or constructive discharge.”
Religious accommodations
EEOC Acting Chair Andrea Lucas lauded the resolution of the case, stating: “Religious rights are not second-class rights, but rather part of our nation’s first principles.”
In a news release, Lucas outlined what she termed “a reasonable accommodation” for employers to make in the workplace would look like.
not punishing anyone who speaks out in favor of these rights”
“Allowing certain days off for Sabbatarians or Buddhists and allowing beards for Orthodox Christians. It also means not punishing anyone who speaks out in favor of these rights.”
The federal body has the power to investigate and prosecute cases against corporate firms, labor unions and employment agencies over workplace discrimination.
More dues to pay
Terms of the settlement mean the Venetian is compelled to train all staff on worker rights and employers’ obligations relating to religious accommodations.
The resort must also employ an independent third party to monitor its anti-discrimination policy, complaint handling, and compliance for three years.
