Vegas Lawyer Contests Health Club's ‘Special’ Treatment for Women
A Las Vegas lawyer irked by a health club promotion favoring women has filed a complaint with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission.
Lawyer Todd Phillips, who focuses on gender bias cases, was surprised when he toured the Las Vegas Athletic Club and learned it offered women cheaper initiation fees and a separate workout area. Phillips claims those policies violate a 2005 banning sex discrimination in the state, the New York Times reports.
If the commission rules for Phillips, the Las Vegas Athletic Club will have to comply or file a suit seeking to overturn the decision.
Results have been mixed in other states that have addressed business policies that favor women, the newspaper says. The California Supreme Court has declared such policies are illegal, as have judges in Colorado, Iowa and Pennsylvania. But courts in Illinois and Washington have upheld the so-called “ladies night” policies as a permissible way to attract women customers.
Las Vegas nightclubs are keeping an eye on Phillips’ case since many of them offer women cheaper or free admission. One recent promotion at the Body English nightclub offered free champagne to “ladies dressed in schoolgirl outfits.”
Chad Smith, executive vice president of the Las Vegas Athletic Club, told Las Vegas Weekly the club is simply being sensitive to women’s needs. He cited statistics that show women make up less than 25 percent of gym memberships and said the reason is probably because clubs don’t accommodate them.
“We do not discriminate,” he said. “We treat our women special.”
