Sahara faces lawsuit alleging discrimination

By Steve Green

Friday, July 31, 2009 | 4:28 p.m.

A federal agency sued the Sahara hotel-casino in Las Vegas on Thursday, alleging discrimination against an employee because of his Egyptian heritage.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claims Ezzat Elias was subjected to harassment by the Sahara based on his national origin and that the Sahara didn't protect him from discriminatory conduct by coworkers and supervisors.

A message for comment on the lawsuit was left Friday with the Sahara.

The EEOC lawsuit, filed in federal court in Las Vegas, says the Sahara retaliated against Elias for engaging in activities protected by law regarding the allegedly hostile work environment including filing union grievances, filing a discrimination charge and working through the Sahara's internal complaint procedures.

"Since at least January 2005, defendants have engaged in unlawful employment practices creating a hostile work environment,'' the suit alleges.

"Charging Party (Elias), who worked as a steady kitchen runner, was subjected to repeated harassment based on his national origin by supervisors and co-workers. The harassment included offensive comments, slurs, and epithets, such as being called `Bin Laden,' `Taliban,' and `(expletive) Egyptian'; and being told to `go back to Egypt,''' the suit alleges.

"Charging Party also was targeted with graffiti, which he was forced to wash off,'' the suit alleged. "Despite Charging Party’s repeated complaints of harassment, defendants failed to take effective measures to stop the harassment. Instead, defendants retaliated against him, which included disciplinary write-ups and suspension.''

The suit seeks a court order barring the Sahara from discriminating against workers based on their national origin and engaging in retaliatory employment practices, as well as providing back pay and other financial compensation to Elias.