Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC, LLCScarinci Hollenbeck, LLC, LLC

Firm Insights

NJ Appeals Court: Borgata Babes Weight Standard Doesn’t Violate NJLAD

Author: Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC

Date: September 28, 2015

Key Contacts

Back

The Appellate Division recently ruled that the Borgata Casino’s appearance policy for their employees – known as the Borgata Babes – which includes a strict weight standard, does not violate the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD).

However, it did find that several Borgata Babes may be able to prove that they were sexually harassed after gaining weight due to pregnancy or illness.

NJ Appeals Court: Borgata Babes Weight Standard Doesn’t Violate NJLAD

The Facts of the Case

Twenty-one current or former Borgata Babes of Marina District Development Company, LLC, operating as the Borgata Casino Hotel & Spa, filed suit against the casino alleging violations of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD). The suit specifically maintained that the defendant’s adoption and application of personal appearance standards (the PAS) subjected them to illegal gender stereotyping and sexual harassment, among other claims.

The PAS required male and female Borgata Babes, who served cocktails in scantily clad costumes, to be physically fit, with their weight proportionate to height, and display a clean, healthy smile. Barring medical reasons or pregnancy, Borgata Babes could not increase their baseline weight, as established when hired, by more than seven percent. The plaintiffs challenged the PAS’s weight standard as gender stereotyping and gender role discrimination in violation of the NJLAD. Further, they alleged the defendant’s sexual harassment and gender stereotyping created a hostile work environment.

The trial court held that the provisions of the challenged PAS, to which plaintiffs specifically consented to abide when accepting employment in the Borgata Babes program, were reasonable in light of casino industry standards and customer expectations. Therefore, the PAS requirements were permitted by N.J.S.A. 10:5-12(p), a provision allowing an employer to establish reasonable employee appearance standards.

 The Court’s Decision

The Appellate Division held that the NJLAD does not encompass allegations of discrimination based on weight, appearance, or sex appeal. However, it also found that several plaintiffs may be able to make a prima facie claim of sexual harassment hostile work environment discrimination based on harassment linked to weight gain caused by a medical condition or pregnancy.

“We do not deny the PAS costume and physical fitness standards imposed what many would label an ‘archaic stereotype’ of male and female employees,” Judge Marie Lihotz explained. “However … actionable conduct results when the stereotypes are shown to be accompanied by a burden on one sex and not the other or are otherwise used to interfere with employment opportunities of the discriminated group.”

In reaching its decision, the appeals court acknowledged that businesses are entitled to enact workplace policies governing the appearance of their employees. “A general principle gleaned from the cited authorities is: When an employer’s ‘reasonable workplace appearance, grooming and dress standards’ comply with state and federal law prohibiting discrimination, even if they contain sex-specific language, the policies do not violate Title VII, and by extension, the LAD,” Judge Lihotz said.

The Appellate Division, however, did not dismiss all of the claims. It left intact claims by 11 of the plaintiffs that alleged that they were harassed after gaining weight due to illness or pregnancy. “Some plaintiffs have alleged facts sufficient to demonstrate that the PAS weight standards were enforced in a harassing manner against women because of their gender, creating a hostile work environment,” Judge Lihotz stated.

No Aspect of the advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC, LLC

Related Posts

See all
Dissolving Your Business: Essential Legal Steps to Protect Your Interests post image

Dissolving Your Business: Essential Legal Steps to Protect Your Interests

If you’re considering closing your business, it’s crucial to understand that simply shutting your doors does not end your legal obligations. Unless you formally dissolve your business, it continues to exist in the eyes of the law—leaving you exposed to ongoing liabilities such as taxes, compliance violations, and potential lawsuits. Dissolving a business can seem […]

Author: Christopher D. Warren

Link to post with title - "Dissolving Your Business: Essential Legal Steps to Protect Your Interests"
The Role of Corporate Restructuring in Mergers & Acquisitions post image

The Role of Corporate Restructuring in Mergers & Acquisitions

Contrary to what many people think, corporate restructuring isn’t all doom and gloom. Revamping a company’s organizational structure, corporate hierarchy, or operations procedures can help keep your business competitive. This is particularly true during challenging times. Corporate restructuring plays a critical role in modern business strategy. It helps companies adapt quickly to market changes. Following […]

Author: Dan Brecher

Link to post with title - "The Role of Corporate Restructuring in Mergers & Acquisitions"
Crypto Enforcement: A Former Prosecutor’s Warning to Criminals and the Public post image

Crypto Enforcement: A Former Prosecutor’s Warning to Criminals and the Public

Cryptocurrency intimidates most people. The reason is straightforward. People fear what they do not understand. When confusion sets in, the common reaction is either to ignore the subject entirely or to mistrust it. For years, that is exactly how most of the public and even many in law enforcement treated cryptocurrency. However, such apprehension changed […]

Author: Bryce S. Robins

Link to post with title - "Crypto Enforcement: A Former Prosecutor’s Warning to Criminals and the Public"
Understanding Chattel Paper: A Key Component in Secured Transactions post image

Understanding Chattel Paper: A Key Component in Secured Transactions

Using chattel paper to obtain a security interest in personal property is a powerful tool. It can ensure lenders have a legal claim on collateral ranging from inventory to intellectual property. To reduce risk and protect your legal rights, businesses and lenders should understand the legal framework. This framework governs the creation, sale, and enforcement […]

Author: Dan Brecher

Link to post with title - "Understanding Chattel Paper: A Key Component in Secured Transactions"
Crypto Compliance: A Comprehensive Guide post image

Crypto Compliance: A Comprehensive Guide

For years, digital assets operated in a legal gray area, a frontier where innovation outpaced the reach of regulators and law enforcement. In this early “Wild West” phase of finance, crypto startups thrived under minimal oversight. That era, however, is coming to an end. The importance of crypto compliance has become paramount as cryptocurrency has […]

Author: Bryce S. Robins

Link to post with title - "Crypto Compliance: A Comprehensive Guide"
Supreme Court and Title VII: Implications for Reverse Discrimination post image

Supreme Court and Title VII: Implications for Reverse Discrimination

Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services vitiating the so-called “background circumstances” test required by half of federal circuit courts.1 The background circumstances test required majority group plaintiffs pleading discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to meet a heightened pleading standard […]

Author: Matthew F. Mimnaugh

Link to post with title - "Supreme Court and Title VII: Implications for Reverse Discrimination"

No Aspect of the advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

Sign up to get the latest from our attorneys!

Explore What Matters Most to You.

Consider subscribing to our Firm Insights mailing list by clicking the button below so you can keep up to date with the firm`s latest articles covering various legal topics.

Stay informed and inspired with the latest updates, insights, and events from Scarinci Hollenbeck. Our resource library provides valuable content across a range of categories to keep you connected and ahead of the curve.

Let`s get in touch!

* The use of the Internet or this form for communication with the firm or any individual member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form.

Sign up to get the latest from the Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC attorneys!