Dealer sues MGM Grand under Americans with Disabilities Act

Grace Leong

Thursday, Jan. 27, 2000 | 11:18 a.m.

A Las Vegas blackjack dealer sued the MGM Grand hotel-casino, alleging it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act when it terminated his employment allegedly because of his disability.

Alan L. Levitt, who was hired as a blackjack dealer on April 6, 1994, and later promoted to casino dealer/games floor supervisor, said he was terminated on Oct. 28, 1997, while on medical leave for severe head injuries he sustained as a result of a car accident on Aug. 20, 1995.

Levitt, who said he began on June 8, 1997, to suffer dizzy spells, short term memory loss, balance problems, headaches, depression, sleeping disorders and numbness in his left arm, hand and leg, was granted medical leave until Nov. 30, 1997.

The suit said that in an Oct. 28, 1997, letter, MGM said Levitt was terminated for "knowingly or negligently making false statements or material omission on any personnel, or other company records."

The suit said MGM failed to respond to repeated requests made to Bruce Berman, MGM's benefits supervisor, by William Hammesfahr, Levitt's neurologist.

The suit said Hammesfahr asked the casino to allow Levitt to return to work full-time, be allowed to carry his medication while working and that he be allowed to deal from a disabled sit-down blackjack table for no more than 30-40 minutes at a time.

The suit said MGM allegedly refused to accommodate his requests, though it had at least two existing casino blackjack handicapped/disabled tables where dealers could deal in a seated position.

MGM declined to comment.

But in September 1999 MGM announced a pact with the U.S. Justice Department guaranteeing full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act in return for a dismissal of three ADA complaints filed against the hotel-casino in 1994 and 1995.