Employment discrimination cases can be extremely difficult for businesses — it is hard to convince clients, consumers and customers that your business doesn’t discriminate. When a current or former employee sues you, alleging discrimination on the basis of race, it is extremely important for your business’ image to clear up any false claims and get rid of the negative publicity. In order to get claims dropped or thrown out by a judge, it is important to hire an attorney with considerable experience in employment discrimination cases.
The hotel and casino corporation Las Vegas Sands has recently been hit with just such a discrimination suit after three security officers claimed they were not promoted because they were African-Americans. Although these employees have recently made allegations of racial discrimination, Las Vegas Sands has long been lauded as an organization that values and exemplifies diversity. The corporation has received awards from organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Frederick Douglass Educational Fund and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women.
According to Las Vegas Sands, these new allegations grew out of an older claim for overtime pay. The corporation has asserted that the discrimination claims are merely a bargaining tool to be used in the overtime lawsuit.
It seems that the employees’ complaint failed to mention when or if there were promotions available and who was actually hired for the supposed supervisory positions. Even if they had provided this information, however, they have failed to argue why the people who were hired were less qualified than they were for a higher-paying supervisor job.
Besides the gaps in their lawsuit, the employees never filed complaints with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Source: Vegas Inc, “Las Vegas Sands denies racial discrimination allegations,” Steve Green, Oct. 28, 2011
