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Black croupier wins race discrimination case against Mayfair casino Aspinalls [London] that allowed multi-millionaire clients to call her the 'n-word' and 'stupid black girl' while demanding 'white female dealers only'
An elite casino has lost a race discrimination case after it allowed its multi-millionaire clients to abuse black croupiers and fulfil their demands for 'white female dealers only'.
Semhar Tesfagiorgis, 41, had accused Crown London Aspinalls of allowing its Mayfair high-rolling clients to use racist language and that management would 'segregate' black employees out of their eyesight if directed.
The Eritrean-born mother of two won part of her direct race discrimination case, while her other claims of sex discrimination, harassment and victimisation were dismissed.
She claimed her managers, two of whom are also listed as respondents in the suit, diminished the racist remarks like use of the slur 'n****r', 'stupid black girl', and 'blackie' by calling them 'mistakes'.
Requests for 'fair-skinned dealers' from wealthy south east Asian clients were accepted as being out of 'pure superstition', Ms Tesfagiorgis said.
She also said that a manager told her after she complained, 'did you expect me to turn away a million-pound punter?'
The croupier, who worked at the den for 13 years until taking voluntary redundancy last year due to the pandemic, said she was the first black person to be hired in gaming and that black men were effectively banned from being hired in client-facing roles.
She added: 'On 4 December 2019, a patron, Mr Pravech Rattanapian, insisted on having a 'fair-skinned dealer'.
'This was communicated via the first respondent's marketing team who then asked the front of house management to deal with the request.
'Accordingly the request was passed on as a legitimate request and not rejected as being in contravention of the club rules or the first respondent's policies by any member of marketing or management prior to myself being on shift that day.
Crown Aspinalls tried to defend the claims by stating that the reason was because of the 'perception that it was necessary to accommodate patrons' requests, no matter how unreasonable, in order to further the interests of the business'
'The patron refused a black female dealer, Ms [Selina] Miebaka. The only other available female was me, so pandering to a racist request the first respondent arranged for white male dealers to attend to the patron instead.
'No one warned the patron of the inappropriateness of his insulting, racist request or warned him that his membership could be suspended or terminated for this prejudiced behaviour.
'Instead I was kept at arm's length and segregated from the vicinity of where this patron was gaming because I was a black woman.'
Crown Aspinalls tried to defend the claims by stating that the reason was because of the 'perception that it was necessary to accommodate patrons' request, no matter how unreasonable
, in order the further the interests of the business.'
UK Black croupier wins race discrimination case against Mayfair casino Aspinalls | Daily Mail Online
- London employment tribunal ruled Crown London Aspinalls discriminated against black croupiers
- Former employee Semhar Tesfagiorgis claimed the casino allowed clients to use racist language
- She also claimed the club would 'segregate' black employees if directed to do so
- Tribunal ruled the club's actions were 'direct discrimination' against some staff
An elite casino has lost a race discrimination case after it allowed its multi-millionaire clients to abuse black croupiers and fulfil their demands for 'white female dealers only'.
Semhar Tesfagiorgis, 41, had accused Crown London Aspinalls of allowing its Mayfair high-rolling clients to use racist language and that management would 'segregate' black employees out of their eyesight if directed.
The Eritrean-born mother of two won part of her direct race discrimination case, while her other claims of sex discrimination, harassment and victimisation were dismissed.
She claimed her managers, two of whom are also listed as respondents in the suit, diminished the racist remarks like use of the slur 'n****r', 'stupid black girl', and 'blackie' by calling them 'mistakes'.
Requests for 'fair-skinned dealers' from wealthy south east Asian clients were accepted as being out of 'pure superstition', Ms Tesfagiorgis said.
She also said that a manager told her after she complained, 'did you expect me to turn away a million-pound punter?'
The croupier, who worked at the den for 13 years until taking voluntary redundancy last year due to the pandemic, said she was the first black person to be hired in gaming and that black men were effectively banned from being hired in client-facing roles.
She added: 'On 4 December 2019, a patron, Mr Pravech Rattanapian, insisted on having a 'fair-skinned dealer'.
'This was communicated via the first respondent's marketing team who then asked the front of house management to deal with the request.
'Accordingly the request was passed on as a legitimate request and not rejected as being in contravention of the club rules or the first respondent's policies by any member of marketing or management prior to myself being on shift that day.
Crown Aspinalls tried to defend the claims by stating that the reason was because of the 'perception that it was necessary to accommodate patrons' requests, no matter how unreasonable, in order to further the interests of the business'
'The patron refused a black female dealer, Ms [Selina] Miebaka. The only other available female was me, so pandering to a racist request the first respondent arranged for white male dealers to attend to the patron instead.
'No one warned the patron of the inappropriateness of his insulting, racist request or warned him that his membership could be suspended or terminated for this prejudiced behaviour.
'Instead I was kept at arm's length and segregated from the vicinity of where this patron was gaming because I was a black woman.'
Crown Aspinalls tried to defend the claims by stating that the reason was because of the 'perception that it was necessary to accommodate patrons' request, no matter how unreasonable
, in order the further the interests of the business.'UK Black croupier wins race discrimination case against Mayfair casino Aspinalls | Daily Mail Online
