Ex-Aria Casino Employees Sue for Wrongful Termination and Discrimination

Two ex-workers of the Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas are suing their old boss. They say the casino fired them unfairly after blaming them for stealing millions of dollars. Erendira Dominguez and Allison Lopez, who used to work in the casino’s marketing team, claim they lost their jobs because of false accusations and discrimination.

Former Aria Casino Workers Deny Theft Allegations, Sue Over Lost Jobs

The lawsuit filed in US District Court, states that Dominguez and Lopez worked full-time at Aria, an MGM Resorts International property, reported The Las Vegas Review-Journal. Dominguez served as a marketing coordinator, while Lopez held the position of marketing manager. Both had been with the casino since its opening in 2009. From 2021 to 2023, their job involved booking hotel rooms for Las Vegas Golf Adventures (LVGA). They carried out these tasks under the direction of senior male executives at the casino.

Things took a different direction in 2023 when a new national marketing VP joined the team. This VP started to question whether Lopez’s bookings were legitimate, court documents show. The company then claimed the two women had taken “millions of dollars” from the LVGA account. But Dominguez and Lopez say they could not access, take out, or move any money from the account.

In August 2023, MGM Resorts suspended both women after these accusations as part of an internal investigation. Lopez kept receiving her salary for six weeks, while Dominguez did not get paid during her suspension. The company’s investigation could not figure out what happened to the missing money. Neither woman ever faced criminal charges.

Fired Aria Workers Accuse Casino of Racial Bias and Unjust Dismissal

The lawsuit argues that suspending and then firing Dominguez and Lopez was unfair and discriminatory. They say that none of the male bosses who supervised them got the same treatment. One male executive moved to another MGM property, while another got to quit with severance pay. MGM fired both Dominguez and Lopez in December 2023.

In addition to their claims of wrongful termination and discrimination, Dominguez and Lopez allege that racial bias played a significant role in their dismissal. The lawsuit highlights that both women, who are Hispanic, were the only individuals placed on unpaid suspension during the investigation, despite there being several male executives who were directly involved in overseeing the marketing activities.

The two women claim the incident has ruined their professional standing beyond repair leaving them shut out of the gaming industry. They want compensation for lost wages emotional distress, damage to their reputation, and punitive damages. Their lawsuit asks for a jury trial.

MGM Resorts has not made any comment on the case that is still in progress.