Pregnant Parkette cocktail servers sue Parx Casino for discrimination

Two Parkette cocktail waitresses have filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against Parx Casino in Bensalem after they were allegedly terminated from their positions for becoming pregnant, according to court documents.

The lawsuit filed earlier this month on behalf of Alycia Campiglia, 27, and Christina Aicher, 31, claims the casino violated the Civil Rights and Pennsylvania Human Relations acts for offering the women positions that constituted a demotion after learning they were pregnant, then fired them after they made complaints.

Both Campiglia and Aicher state in the complaint that about a year after being hired, they learned they were pregnant. Each woman separately notified the casino’s food and beverage manager Diane Andrusko, who allegedly told them that once their uniforms no longer fit, they would require to take concession stand positions, which allegedly would have constituted a significant demotion.

When Campiglia further complained to Marketing Director Darlene Monzo, Monzo allegedly “angrily condemned her,” telling her, “this is not a union,” that she “did it to [herself]” and that the “casino did not have to offer her anything in this economy,” then threatened to place harassment charges in her personnel file, according to court documents.

Both women were placed on unpaid leave within days of making their complaints and fired about a month after that, in early 2009.

They are asking for jury trial and seeking compensation for lost wages and benefits, punitive damages for pain, suffering, inconvenience, mental anguish and “loss of enjoyment of life,” and court fees.