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Donald Hall III, who worked at the casino for nearly 12 years, claims managers and coworkers mocked his cerebral palsy and speech impairment, ridiculed his ability to perform his job, and treated him as less capable because of his disability.
Hall also has epilepsy, which the lawsuit says has been controlled with medication for more than a decade.
According to the complaint, MGM was aware of Hall’s condition from the beginning of his employment and had previously granted workplace accommodations, including additional testing time and communication assistance.
Hall alleges that despite receiving positive performance reviews during his tenure, the harassment persisted and, at times, intensified.
‘Publicly Mocked’
In one incident in late 2022, another security officer allegedly mocked Hall’s disability in front of about 30 colleagues and questioned his ability to do his job, according to the lawsuit. Hall says he complained but was pressured by management to drop the matter.
Tensions escalated in August 2023, Hall claims, when an assistant security manager allegedly referred to him as “a disease.”
After reporting the comment, Hall says he found himself at the center of a workplace dispute that ultimately led to harassment allegations being made against him by another employee.
Hall alleges MGM refused to tell him exactly what he was accused of, both when he sought a written statement and later, after placing him on suspension pending an investigation.
During that investigation, Hall says he requested accommodations because his speech impairment made telephone communication difficult. He sought interpreter assistance and other measures to help him understand and participate in the process, but MGM denied the requests, according to the lawsuit.
Banned from Premises
The complaint further alleges that while Hall was suspended, the casino posted his employee photograph at security stations and instructed staff that he was not permitted on the property, a move Hall says humiliated and stigmatized him before the investigation was complete.
MGM terminated Hall’s employment on Sept. 5, 2023, citing violations of workplace conduct and harassment policies. Hall denies the allegations and claims the investigation was used as a pretext to remove him after years of disability-related hostility, complaints about discrimination, and requests for accommodation.
The lawsuit seeks back pay, reinstatement or front pay, compensatory damages, punitive damages where available, and attorneys’ fees.
MGM has yet to file a response to the suit. Casino.org has reached out to the company, which has a policy of not commenting on pending litigation.
Philip Conneller, Senior Reporter
In his eight years with Casino.org, Philip Conneller has covered the gaming industry from Las Vegas to Macau and everything in between. He currently focuses his coverage on gaming law, white-collar crime, global money laundering, tribal gaming, politics, and regulation.
Philip was the original features editor for poker’s Bluff Magazine and editor for Bluff Europe, which he helped launch. His writing has also been featured in ESPN, Forbes, Time Out, The Sun, and The Daily Star, as well as iGaming Business, eGaming Review, and numerous other industry news and tech websites.
His news stories for Casino.org/news have been linked by The Washington Post, The Daily Mail, People Magazine, and Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show, among many others.
Philip once won $20,000 with 7-2 off-suit. He has been reprimanded for unwittingly playing Elton John’s piano on two separate occasions on both sides of the Atlantic.
He became a writer because he is a lousy pianist.
Philip lives outside London with his wife and children, where he spends his time agonizing about Arsenal FC.
Contact Philip at [email protected].
