LAS VEGAS (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has announced a lawsuit against Wynn Las Vegas LLC for allegations of discriminating against a disabled employee.
Wynn owns and operates a luxury resort that includes casinos, hotels, entertainment venues, restaurants and shops on the Las Vegas Strip. According to the EEOC, Wynn began a practice in 2010 of requiring security guards to work mandatory overtime.
One security guard allegedly requested an accommodation due to his disability; he was a U.S. Army veteran diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). EEOC alleges Wynn denied the request and, when the guard filed a complaint with EEOC, suspended him.
"In recent years we have seen an increase in disability cases and employers failing to properly engage in the interactive process to look for an accommodation, as they are legally required to do," said Anna Park, regional attorney for EEOC's Los Angeles District. "This case is especially distressing since an Army veteran who sacrificed his health by serving his country then suffered further from his employer's intransigence."
The EEOC seeks back pay, as well as compensatory and punitive damages. It also seeks injunctive relief in an effort to prevent Wynn from discriminating in the future.
"Employers should review their policies and practices to ensure that people are properly trained on disability discrimination law,” said Richard Burgamy, director of EEOC's Las Vegas Office. “The process of asking for an accommodation should not be so burdensome that it stops people from exercising their rights."