Ex-poker dealers considering lawsuit

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BILOXI, Miss. -- Dealers who were laid off when the Beau Rivage hotel-casino closed its poker room are considering a lawsuit for back pay and benefits because of the way the layoffs were handled.

The Sun Herald newspaper reported the former employees' complaints were explained in an eight-page letter to Beau Rivage President Barry Shier.

The dealers said they left jobs at other casinos because of the promise of job security, but the poker room was closed when slot machine players asked for more non-smoking areas in the casino.

The casino, owned by Mirage Resorts of Las Vegas, said 20 of the 60 employees resigned, eight of the employees were rehired in other casino positions and 25 others are receiving special training to make a transition to other positions.

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