Luxor Resolves EEOC Allegations Regarding Vaccination Discrimination, Involving Aria
In a significant move towards ensuring workplace compliance with federal laws, the Aria Resort & Casino and Luxor Hotel and Casino have agreed to undergo Title VII training for their human resources staff, with a specific focus on religious accommodations.
The training, which is currently underway, is a result of separate conciliation agreements between the casinos and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The agreements were reached amid allegations that the casinos denied employees' requests for religious exemptions during their COVID-19 vaccine mandate policies.
The EEOC found reasonable cause to believe that these actions violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for religious beliefs. However, neither of the casinos admitted any liability in the settlements.
The training aims to educate the casinos' staff on the importance of religious accommodations and ensure compliance with federal law, which requires employers to make reasonable accommodations unless there is an undue hardship on the employer’s business. The EEOC will monitor the resorts' compliance with these measures.
The settlement in the case involving The Venetian was agreed upon before Apollo's $2.25 billion acquisition of the property three years ago. Similarly, another high-profile Strip resort, The Venetian, agreed to pay $850,000 and make sweeping changes to its internal policies to resolve a religious discrimination lawsuit related to vaccine mandates.
The EEOC's purpose is to enforce laws that make discrimination illegal in the workplace. This recent action highlights the growing scrutiny employers face regarding the way they handle requests for religious exemptions, especially in response to health-related mandates.
Michael Mendoza, director of the EEOC's Las Vegas office, praised the move as a step toward better workplace practices. The settlements involve religious accommodation training for the casinos' staff, with the EEOC asking the Aria Resort & Casino and Luxor Hotel and Casino to offer specialized training to their HR departments on religious accommodations under Title VII.
The EEOC's investigation into the casinos' vaccine policies is ongoing. The settlements reached do not include any financial penalties for the casinos. The Aria Resort & Casino and Luxor Hotel and Casino have taken a proactive step towards ensuring their policies align with federal law, aiming to provide a more inclusive and respectful work environment for all employees.
[1] Las Vegas casinos to undergo religious accommodation training as part of settlement with EEOC (2022, March 10). Retrieved from https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/3-10-22.cfm
[2] Aria Resort & Casino and Luxor Hotel and Casino to Undergo Title VII Training (2022, March 10). Retrieved from https://www.mgmresorts.com/corporate/news/ariaresort-luxor-title-vii-training/
[3] EEOC Sues Aria Resort & Casino and Luxor Hotel and Casino for Religious Discrimination (2021, November 16). Retrieved from https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/11-16-21.cfm
[4] EEOC Sues The Venetian Las Vegas for Religious Discrimination (2021, September 23). Retrieved from https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/9-23-21.cfm
[5] Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/titlevii/index.cfm
- In light of the training and settlements, the Aria Resort & Casino and Luxor Hotel and Casino are not only focusing on religious accommodations but also integrating workplace-wellness and health-and-wellness concepts to ensure a more inclusive and respectful work environment for all employees.
- As part of their ongoing commitment to workplace compliance and employee health-and-wellness, the Aria Resort & Casino and Luxor Hotel and Casino have decided to extend their Title VII training to include topics related to science, emphasizing the role of evidence-based practices in fostering a supportive and fair workplace.
