Pokies and Slot Machine Information

Casino wins cosmetics appeal

April 10, 2006 on 9:58 pm | In Slot machine articles online |

A female bar attendant at a Nevada casino lost her job in the year 2000 as a result of failing to comply with company policy regarding makeup. Her employer had set standards for employees to meet and she allegedly failed to meet them.

“Harrah’s policy requires women to apply face powder, blush, mascara and lipstick”

Las Vegas Sun Article

The gist of the appellants argument seemed to be that enforcing the rules on only one gender of employees was discriminatory. Male employees had grooming rules of their own - one of which forbade the wearing of makeup.

The court ruled against her:

“…requirement that women bartenders wear makeup at its casinos does not amount to sex discrimination, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled… “This is not a case where the dress or appearance requirement is intended to be sexually provocative and tending to stereotype women as sex objects,” Chief Judge Mary M. Schroeder wrote in the majority opinion”

It was a 7-4 decision - not even close to unanimous. Other cases along similar lines may end up in court over time in an effort to provide clearer legal guideliness employers may use in future when determining what their staff grooming policies will be.