The owner of Laughlin River Lodge has agreed to pay $1.2 million to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) last year.
The EEOC announced the settlement on Tuesday, which requires the company to display notices about the case and implement new protections to prevent future harassment.
“Hostile Work Environment”
Nevada Restaurant Services Inc., headquartered in Las Vegas, operates the Laughlin River Lodge as well as the Dotty’s, Bourbon Street, and Red Dragon chains. The EEOC complaint stated that employees at several properties experienced serious and ongoing sexual harassment since at least 2018.
The allegations include inappropriate remarks, unwanted physical contact, and misconduct by both coworkers and supervisors involving both male and female employees.
The lawsuit claims the company was aware of repeated issues but did not act effectively, causing some employees to feel compelled to leave their jobs to escape the situation.
In court, the EEOC detailed a pattern of “ongoing, unwelcome, severe, and pervasive sexual harassment,” resulting in an offensive, abusive, and hostile work environment.
Specific incidents at the Laughlin property were especially troubling, including male workers subjecting female employees to unwanted sexual advances, such as the attempted rape of a 19-year-old worker.
Further accusations involved groping, stalking employees after hours, and trapping them in locations like walk-in refrigerators or locked hotel rooms for unwanted advances.
“Inked Consent Decree”
A consent decree formalized the settlement on October 14, establishing a process for current and former employees to seek compensation from the $1.2 million fund.
Any employees who experienced sexual harassment from 2019 onward may qualify.
Anna Park, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Los Angeles district, stated, “We commend Nevada Restaurant Services for their cooperation in resolving this lawsuit early and agreeing to implement proactive measures to address sexual harassment and encourage reporting.”
Park emphasized that employers must ensure their workers are protected from sexual harassment through effective policies and hold managers and supervisors accountable for ensuring worker safety.
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