By
Jane Shaw
Senior Editor Updated: 04/10/2024
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Sexual Harassment Lawsuit in Marylan
It has recently been reported that a former Maryland casino operator has reached a settlement over a sexual harassment lawsuit. According to reports, Golden Entertainment Inc., which is the former owner and operator of Rocky Gap Casino in Flintstone, has agreed to a settlement of $100,000 in response to a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed back in 2020 by the Baltimore field division of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and it accused Golden Entertainment of violating Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
According to the allegations made in the lawsuit, the controversy arose when the operator continued to assign a female bartender at Rocky Gap to work alongside a male colleague who allegedly groped her buttocks and made sexual comments.
Despite her complaints to casino managers about the abuse, the situation reportedly continued. It is further claimed that the male bartender approached the female employee from behind on another occasion and told her that he would not experience any consequences as a result of his misconduct.
Subsequent complaints are said to have been made to the company, and this allegedly led to the reassignment of the female bartender by Golden Entertainment, according to the suit. However, this was said to be a reassignment to a far less lucrative station away from her alleged harasser.
Alongside financial compensation for the female bartender, the resolution of the suit involves a three-year consent decree. This means that the company will have to implement comprehensive sexual harassment training for all its managers, supervisors, and employees.
EEOC Regional Attorney Debra M. Lawrence said:
Hospitality employees and managers are often trained to be relaxed, friendly, and create a fun, casual environment. However, it must always be clear that this does not mean engaging in, tolerating, or failing to remedy sexual harassment.
She also said that sexual harassment was a common complaint in the hospitality industry, and that it was vital for businesses to take employees seriously and take steps to protect them.
According to reports, the company is also obligated to report to the EEOC regarding its handling of any sexual harassment complaints that may arise in the future.
Officials said that the settlement highlights the importance of addressing workplace harassment issues and implementing effective measures to prevent such issues. Sexual harassment remains a huge problem in various industries including the hospitality industry.
Authorities went on to say that legal actions such as this were important reminders of the need for companies to maintain safe and respectful work environments for all employees, and to take complaints such as this very seriously.
Rocky Gap Casino is Maryland’s fourth casino, and it was constructed in 2013 at a cost of $6.8 million by Minnesota-based Lakes Entertainment. The property was acquired by Golden Entertainment in 2015 through a merger with Lakes Entertainment. However, in July 2023, Golden Entertainment sold the property to New York-based Century Casinos for $56.1 million.
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