The owners and managers of Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas settled a federal disability discrimination lawsuit, agreeing to pay $720,000 to former employees and provide injunctive relief that addresses and prevents future disability discrimination. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) contends the hotel did not provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities.
Employees who asserted their rights to reasonable accommodations were subjected to undesirable working conditions or termination. The EEOC alleges that Downtown Grand Hotel violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Discrimination against employees with disabilities
According to the lawsuit, Downtown Grand Hotel has been discriminating against employees with disabilities since at least 2018. The hotel did not provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities. In one case, an employee with colon cancer was terminated because he wore an ostomy bag. Employees who did not receive reasonable accommodations were often forced to quit. The EEOC is committed to protect workers who request reasonable accommodations under the ADA.
Lawsuit settles
Downtown Grand Hotel agreed to provide monetary relief of $720,000 to the former employees who were denied their rights under the ADA. In addition, the company will change its policies and procedures for handling accommodation requests and provide training to managers and employees about anti-discrimination laws. For three years, the hotel will be under the consent decree, which typically includes regular reporting to the EEOC about any discrimination claims.
Handling reasonable accommodations as a business
Reasonable accommodations give everyone equal access to employment. Employers do have to go through an interactive process with employees with disabilities to find a solution that works for both the business and the employee. The Job Accommodation Network offers practical guidance to employers and employees to find accommodations for employees with disabilities that are reasonable for employers while creating inclusive workplaces.
Dawn Brotherton is a Sr. Staff Writer at The American Genius with an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Central Oklahoma. She is an experienced business writer with over 10 years of experience in SEO and content creation. Since 2017, she has earned $60K+ in grant writing for a local community center, which assists disadvantaged adults in the area.
