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Friday, February 1, 2019

News Hits

Kid Rock's Made In Detroit restaurant is being sued for racial discrimination

Posted By Tom Perkins on Fri, Feb 1, 2019 at 7:56 PM

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Kid Rock's Made In Detroit. - TOM PERKINS

Tom Perkins
Kid Rock's Made In Detroit.

A black former bartender at Kid Rock's Made In Detroit alleges that she was fired by the restaurant's management for wearing her hair in an afro.

The bartender says a manager told her she was let go for overpouring a drink, but she says the real reason had to do with her hair. She alleges that other white employees repeatedly over-poured drinks and weren't fired.

Civil Rights Attorney Jack Schulz summarized the case in the complaint filed this week in federal court.

Plaintiff Carinne Silverman-Maddox, was the only African-American bartender employed with the Defendants at the Kid Rock Made in [Detroit] Restaurant until she was abruptly suspended and dismissed for allegedly overpouring a single drink.

The suspension occurred on the first date Plaintiff decided to wear her hair natural, in a curly afro, instead of straightening it or putting it up like her Caucasian coworkers. The alleged violation is clearly pretextual as numerous Caucasian comparators openly poured drinks in the exact same manner. Further, Caucasian comparators were approached for committing identical or similar violations and were able to keep their jobs.

The complaint lists multiple instances in which Silverman-Maddox witnessed white coworkers over-pouring drinks without losing their jobs. Another white coworker didn't check identifications of young patrons, but kept her job. The complaint also includes this gem:

22. In one incident, Plaintiff witnessed a manager, Chad, free-pouring excessive amounts of alcohol into the Kid Rock Bar’s guitar shaped daiquiris. Plaintiff informed Chad that she was unable to ring up, or bill, the drinks as doubles. Chad responded “F**k it. It’s only Malibu.” (Malibu is a type of coconut rum)

23. Additionally, on information and belief, the same managers who disciplined Plaintiff had previously instructed bartenders to “free pour drinks heavily” any time Kid Rock is present in the building.

A hearing hasn't yet been scheduled.

You can check out our review of Made In Detroit here.

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Tags: Kid Roc, lawsuit, Kid Rock racial discrimination lawsuit, Kid Rock's made in Detroit, made in Detroit, Image

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