The Venetian Resort Las Vegas has agreed to an $850,000 settlement following allegations of spiritual discrimination and retaliation, resolving a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The decision contains not simply financial compensation, but additionally necessary structural modifications to office coverage and oversight mechanisms that can stay in impact for 3 years.
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, the lawsuit arose from complaints obtained earlier than the 2022 sale of the Venetian Resort from Las Vegas Sands to Apollo Global Management. The EEOC alleged that the resort did not moderately accommodate the non secular practices of workers from numerous religion backgrounds and retaliated towards those that challenged these violations.
Allegations of Religious Discrimination and Retaliation
According to the EEOC, the resort denied requests for non secular lodging made by a bunch of workers representing completely different religion traditions. The lawsuit acknowledged that when workers raised considerations or opposed the discriminatory practices, the Venetian responded with punitive actions. These included disciplinary measures, blocked promotion alternatives, terminations, or conditions that pressured workers to resign.
The lawsuit asserted that this habits violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects employees towards non secular discrimination in the office. “The law protects the rights of workers in our pluralistic society to live out their various faiths in the workplace,” mentioned EEOC Acting Chair Andrea Lucas. “As this case shows, reasonable accommodation might look like, among other things, 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 authorized criticism adopted an in depth mediation course of between the EEOC and the Venetian, which finally did not outcome in a conciliation settlement. The formal courtroom submitting ensued thereafter beneath the case identify EEOC v. Venetian Las Vegas Gaming, LLC, et al. dba The Venetian Resort Las Vegas (Case No.: 2:25-cv-01148).
Reforms Under a Three-Year Consent Decree
As a part of the settlement, the Venetian has dedicated to broad reforms designed to safeguard non secular freedoms throughout the office. A court-approved consent decree will likely be in place for a 36-month interval throughout which the resort is required to overtake its coaching, monitoring, and coverage infrastructure.
This contains complete coaching for all workers, supervisors, and managers to make sure understanding of spiritual lodging rights beneath federal regulation. Furthermore, the Venetian should retain an impartial third-party monitor to judge and revise its lodging and criticism dealing with procedures. This monitor will even observe the resort’s adherence to the phrases outlined in the decree over the complete length of the settlement.
“We commend the Venetian Resort for their cooperation in the early resolution of this lawsuit and agreeing to implement proactive measures to ensure religious accommodation requests are handled more effectively,” mentioned Anna Park, Regional Attorney for the EEOC’s Los Angeles District, which incorporates Las Vegas in its jurisdiction. She added, “Employers are reminded of the importance of understanding their obligations under Title VII in accommodating religious beliefs of their employees, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court clarified the standard for granting religious accommodations.”
