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Read Full BioNevada Restaurant Services, owner and operator of gambling establishments, including Laughlin River Lodge Hotel & Casino and Dotty’s gaming parlors, will pay $1.2 million to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) brought the lawsuit following complaints from male and female workers of verbal and physical sexual harassment.
The complaint alleged, “Male employees subjected female employees to unwanted physical sexual advances including, but not limited to, attempted rape of a 19-year-old female employee, groping female employees’ breasts, buttocks and vaginas, masturbating in front of female employees, stalking female employees outside the workplace, or trapping them in tight spaces such as walk-in refrigerators or locked hotel rooms to make unwanted sexual advances.”
In addition to the $1.2 million in monetary relief, Nevada Restaurant Services agreed to implement additional measures to deter and respond to incidents of sexual harassment in the future.
In an EEOC press release, Anna Park, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Los Angeles district, whose jurisdiction includes Las Vegas, commented, “We commend Nevada Restaurant Services for their cooperation in the early resolution of this lawsuit and agreeing to implement proactive measures to proactively address sexual harassment and to encourage employees to report harassment.”
She added, “It is imperative that employers take great care to ensure that their workers are protected from sexual harassment by having effective policies and procedures and hold managers and supervisors accountable for worker safety.”
The $1.2 million will be distributed among eligible current and former employees through a claims process. Current and former employees who experienced sexual harassment between 2019 to the present may be eligible and have been urged to contact the EEOC.
Sexual Harassment Open & Frequent
The harassment was described as “ubiquitous, open, frequent, and consistent” – sometimes taking place in full view of supervisors. Management saw or heard the conduct regularly and still took no action, the EEOC claimed.
The EEOC filed the lawsuit in 2023, alleging that the harassment had been taking place since at least 2018. In one instance, a 19-year-old female housekeeper complained to Human Resources about a male worker who repeatedly blocked her into hotel rooms she was cleaning. She claimed he would grope her breasts, rub himself against her, and threaten to rape her.
Upon making a complaint, rather than dealing with it appropriately, she said management accused her of not cleaning properly and threatened to fire her.
The complaint also stated that when another female housekeeper complained about being sexually harassed by the same employee, she was told, “He means no harm.”
Employees believed they had no choice but to resign because they feared for their physical safety and could no longer endure the workplace.
The settlement is considerably less than the $20 million Wynn Resorts was ordered to pay in relation to accusations that executives failed to investigate claims of sexual harassment against co-founder Steve Wynn.
EEOC Encourages Others to Come Forward
In the Wynn case, back in 2019, the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) stated that it hoped the high penalty would bring about a change in culture within Las Vegas’ casinos.
NGCB Commissioner Phillip Pro said at the time, “We have a responsibility to send a message so that every licensee that has that privilege license — it’s not a right — understands that if they either engage in or encountered … the kinds of things that are sent out in this complaint that there will be zero tolerance… that the penalties will be severe.”
Wynn himself agreed to pay a fine of $10 million and sever ties with the gambling industry in 2023. Kirk Hendrick, NGCB Chair, said it closed a “dark chapter in Nevada’s gaming industry”.
That chapter does not appear to have been closed, however, with allegations of harassment reportedly rife at Nevada Restaurant Services’ properties. The EEOC urged others who have suffered harassment to come forward.
EEOC Las Vegas Local Office Director Michael Mendoza said, “The EEOC remains committed to enforcing federal laws and is here to serve the public. We encourage others to come forward if they are experiencing discrimination, harassment, or retaliation in the workplace.”
As part of the settlement, Nevada Restaurant Services will implement new procedures, including training for all employees about sexual harassment and reporting procedures, with additional training for managers and human resources representatives. It will also establish an online complaint procedure and systems to properly address complaints.
