Former employee sues Rivers Casino for harassment

Júlia Moura August 30, 2024

SiGMA news

Former employee sues Rivers Casino for harassment

A former employee of Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh has filed a lawsuit against the establishment, claiming she was wrongfully terminated after repeatedly reporting incidents of sexual harassment by high-profile customers. The woman, who started working as a hostess at the North Shore casino in June 2022, is seeking reinstatement to her position, as well as compensation for lost wages and damages.

The nine-page complaint details multiple instances of harassment that the plaintiff allegedly endured while working at the casino. The first incident occurred on 9 October, 2022, when a frequent customer reportedly hugged her without consent and kissed her on the corner of the mouth. Despite immediately reporting the incident to her supervisor, the harassment continued.

On October 21, 2022, during a “Very, Very Important People” event, another customer allegedly kissed the employee’s hand while expressing frustration at not being able to take her to a college football game on her day off. The plaintiff reported this behaviour as well, but no significant action was taken.

Lack of support following harrasment

The harassment persisted on 31 October, 2022, when a VIP customer allegedly shouted a sexually explicit comment at the woman during a raffle announcement and then kissed her on the cheek and ear. A few days later, another customer reportedly groped her as she bent down to pick up an item from the floor. According to the complaint, the casino’s management failed to provide the necessary support or protection.

Retaliation at Rivers Casino

During an employee meeting on 10 November, 2022, a promotions manager allegedly suggested that employees were responsible for the harassment they experienced, further exacerbating the plaintiff’s concerns. The situation worsened when her supervisor accused her of “loitering” at work, an accusation she believed was baseless and intended to discredit her.

While there was a brief moment of hope when a customer was temporarily banned for making an obscene comment about the plaintiff’s boots, the ban was reduced to less than a month.

The ongoing harassment and lack of support reportedly took a toll on the plaintiff’s mental and emotional well-being. During a meeting with a casino executive, she was allegedly told that she needed to adapt to “out of the ordinary” situations. Shortly afterward, she was criticized for being unproductive, with her emotional distress dismissed as irrelevant to her job performance.

Ultimately, the plaintiff was fired on 29 December, 2022, for what the casino described as insubordination. She has since filed a lawsuit against Rivers Casino, alleging retaliation for her repeated complaints about harassment. A spokesman for the casino, Jack Horner, declined to comment on the ongoing lawsuit.