EEOC Sues Circa Resort for Religious Discrimination Against Messianic Jewish Employee

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a federal lawsuit against Circa Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, alleging the property violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating against a Messianic Jewish employee based on her religious observance.

According to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada (Case No. 2:26-cv-03088), the dispute began when a manager at the downtown casino ordered a cage cashier to remove her religious headscarf while on duty. When the employee refused to comply with the order, she was sent home without pay. The situation escalated when the casino's human resources manager demanded that the employee obtain a letter from a clergy member to validate her religious practice. The HR executive imposed this requirement because the employee's religious observance "did not comport with his personal views of Judaism," according to the EEOC complaint.

The cashier explained to human resources that she was unable to obtain such a letter because she did not belong to a formal synagogue. Despite this explanation, Circa refused to allow the worker to return to her duties and ultimately terminated her employment in July 2024. The EEOC brought the legal action after attempts to reach a voluntary pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process were unsuccessful.

Federal officials emphasized the broad scope of workplace protections under Title VII, which covers all forms of sincere religious practice regardless of an employer's personal interpretations or views of a faith. Michael Mendoza, director of the EEOC's Las Vegas Local Office, stated that "Federal law applies to all aspects of an individual's religious observance, practice and belief, and employers must make reasonable efforts to accommodate employees."

The lawsuit seeks monetary relief for the former employee, including back pay and compensatory damages, along with injunctive relief requiring Circa to update its employment policies and prevent future religious discrimination. Beatriz Andre, acting regional attorney of the EEOC's L.A. District, reiterated that employers in all industries, including gaming and hospitality, must comply with reasonable accommodation requirements absent undue hardship to business operations.

Circa, owned by brothers Derek and Greg Stevens and located at 8 Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas, responded to requests for comment by stating: "We denounce discrimination against any employee or individual, regardless of their background or beliefs. Due to ongoing litigation, we will not be commenting further at this time."

This case reflects ongoing federal enforcement priorities around workplace discrimination in the hospitality and gaming sectors. The enforcement action underscores regulatory expectations that casino operators must develop and maintain workplace policies ensuring compliance with federal civil rights law, particularly regarding religious accommodations.