DETROIT (WWJ) - A distinguished, 130-year-old private social club in Detroit has been sued by a former employee who accuses the club of racial discrimination against Black guests.
A federal lawsuit against the Detroit Club was filed Tuesday by former desk clerk and Latina, Maria Victoria Ferrer, who accused the club owner and management of racism and retaliation against employees who tried to speak out against it, the Detroit Free Press reported.
Ferrer alleges the club treated Black guests differently than white guests and in one interaction used "street rats" to reference Black visitors.
The former employee's allegations match Google reviews left in the past couple of months from visitors saying they've experienced racism while at the Detroit Club.
"Racist owner. Do not recommend anyone staying," one commenter wrote. "Me and my girlfriend stepped in to use a restroom and the desk lady allowed us real quick... the owner of the hotel went to the desk lady and decided to completely call herself out saying street rats are not allowed in to use the bathroom."
"RACIST!!!! BEWARE!" another user warned. "The owner was very rude and racist, talked to us like peasants..."
In her lawsuit, Ferrer accused the club of "abruptly" firing her in April after she spoke out against racist encounters at work. She alleged management enforced the club's strict dress code differently between white and Black guests and relaxed the club's policies for White visitors, while being aggressive about them with Black clients.
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According to the lawsuit, Ferrer's concerns were dismissed by management who allegedly said she was “too sensitive about racial discrimination.”
"Do you think you're Black?" club owner Lynn Uralli allegedly asked Ferrer during a meeting. Ferrer said in her suit that nothing was done after to address the problems.
Ferrer said in her suit that she immediately terminated from her position when she put her foot down over a "street rat" comment made by the club's owner stemming from the same incident outlined in a recent Google review.
A bartender who quit shortly after Ferrer's firing was also the subject of threats and harassment via text message from the club owner, the lawsuit stated.
"I am going to destroy you," Uralli allegedly wrote to the bartender in one text, which is on file in federal court. "You have no idea what you started. ... You are a liar and you are insane and you are going to pay for the attempt of defaming my business."
Uralli did not return calls for comment from the Detroit Free Press; she is named defendant in Ferrer's lawsuit alongside the Detroit Club and Suzette Day, Ferrer's supervisor.
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In response to Google reviews, the Detroit Club has previously stated that "we take accusations of racism very seriously."
Ferrer's attorney Jack Schulz said he hopes the Detroit Club owns up to the allegations and changes for the better.
"Whether it's a private club, or a public market ... there’s no place for this type of racism or discriminatory treatment," Schulz told the Free Press on Wednesday. "The statements as portrayed by my client portray an egregious harassment based on race. And I hope that the Detroit Club analyzes their actions and changes their ways."