Pioneer Hotel in Laughlin settles federal discrimination suit

LAUGHLIN — A Nevada hotel has settled with the federal government for ignoring alleged discrimination against its Hispanic employees who reported being called derogatory names and told not to speak Spanish during work breaks.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced Wednesday that the Pioneer Hotel in Laughlin agreed to pay $150,000 to settle with the affected housekeeping and security workers and take steps to better handle discrimination complaints.

Employees had complained that supervisors and co-workers had called them "taco bell" and "bean burrito" among other derogatory names.

The agency says the settlement is a four-year consent decree and a result of the lawsuit it filed four years ago. Federal officials say the discrimination claims were made as early as 2006.

A Pioneer Hotel representative could not immediately be reached for comment.