Downtown Las Vegas casino to pay $720K to settle disability discrimination claims
A downtown hotel-casino will pay $720,000 to settle allegations of disability discrimination and retaliation in a lawsuit with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, it said Thursday.
The EEOC alleged that Downtown Grand discriminated against employees multiple times since at least 2018, including “failing to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities and terminating an employee with colon cancer because he wore an ostomy bag,” according to a news release.
The agency said it filed suit in U.S. District Court of Nevada after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.
Beyond the monetary settlement, the property’s management agreed to other measures to address the allegations, the agency said. They include designating an external equal opportunity monitor to ensure compliance with the ADA and the provisions of the consent decree; instituting effective mechanisms for handling reasonable accommodation requests, as well as complaints of disability discrimination in the workplace; and providing training for managers and employees with respect to disability antidiscrimination laws.
Anna Park, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Los Angeles District, which includes Las Vegas in its jurisdiction, touted the agency’s efforts to protect workers with disabilities.
“The ADA protects workers with disabilities from discrimination and guarantees them the right to a reasonable accommodation in order to ensure their equal access to employment,” Park said in the release. “This case demonstrates the EEOC’s commitment to enforcing these rights, including in the hospitality industry.”
Representatives for Downtown Grand and Fifth Street Gaming, the property’s operator, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
McKenna Ross is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. Contact her at mross@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mckenna_ross_ on X.