Almost one month after the Venetian Casino Resort settled a US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) lawsuit over religious discrimination, two more Las Vegas casinos have now followed suit.
According to an EEOC announcement last week, the ARIA Resort & Casino and Luxor Hotel & Casino have both settled lawsuits focused on the same charge.
While the Venetian’s settlement over religious discrimination specified, essentially, that the casino disadvantaged and unfairly disciplined employees of different faiths, the Aria and Luxor settlement focused on the alleged unfair treatment of staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.
a denial of religious accommodations”
According to reports, allegations against the MGM International-owned casinos include “a denial of religious accommodations” to staff members who did not adhere to COVID vaccination policy. For falling foul of a section of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the casinos have agreed to give religious accommodation training to HR staff. The EEOC will compliance-monitor the casinos.
While the Venetian had to pony up $85,000 to settle, the EEOC made no mention of financials related to The Aria and Luxor settlements.
EEOC Las Vegas Local Director Michael Mendoza commended both the casinos “for putting in place training measures that will have a lasting impact on workers seeking religious accommodations in the workplace.” Mendoza added it was “important that all employers understand that federal law requires reasonable religious accommodations.”
