Hyde Bellagio to Pay $1 Million to Settle EEOC Sex Harassment and Retaliation Charge

LAS VEGAS – SBEEG Holdings, LLC dba Hyde Bellagio, a former Las Vegas night club, and Spoonful Management, LV LLC, will pay $1 million and will provide other injunctive relief to settle a federal charge of sexual harassment filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.

According to a charge filed January 2017, Hyde Bellagio subjected female applicants and employees to sexual harassment and created a hostile work environment. The charge also alleges Hyde Bellagio engaged in unlawful retaliation.

This alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits sexual harassment in the workplace and prohibits retaliating against employees and applicants for complaining. After the EEOC investigated the allegations and found reasonable cause to believe Hyde Bellagio violated the law, the charge was resolved through the EEOC’s pre-litigation administrative conciliation process.

"Applicants and employees are entitled to a workplace free from violations of federal employment laws,” said EEOC Chair Charlotte A. Burrows. “The EEOC remains steadfast in executing its mission to help employers comply with the law and remedy discrimination and harassment when warranted.”

Without admitting liability, Hyde Bellagio has agreed to enter into a three-year conciliation agreement with the EEOC. In addition to the monetary relief for the charging party, the company has agreed to establish a class fund to compensate female applicants and employees subjected to sexual harassment.

The company also agreed to hire an equal employment opportunity (EEO) consultant or employment counsel to review, and if necessary, revise its sexual harassment and anti-retaliation policies and ensure dissemination of the policies. This individual will also be responsible for reviewing all internal and external complaints of harassment to ensure they are handled appropriately, review and, if necessary, revise the company’s internal investigative procedures along with its internal complaint tracking system, and provide training to all employees on sexual harassment and retaliation. Hyde Bellagio also agreed to add a provision in the performance plans for managers that will include accountability for compliance with the company’s EEO policies and procedures, as well as conduct anonymous climate surveys to evaluate and assess the impact of these policies.

“People have the right to apply for a job and to work in an environment that is free from sexual harassment,” said Michael Mendoza, director of the EEOC’s Las Vegas Local Office. “We commend SBEEG Holdings and Spoonful Management for committing to changes that will have a positive impact on their workforce. It is imperative that employers review their policies and practices to confirm they are compliant with federal law.”

Preventing workplace harassment through systemic litigation and investigation is one of the six national priorities identified by the Commission’s Strategic Enforcement Plan.

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