A downtown Detroit restaurant and nightclub is facing a civil rights lawsuit after an employee says he was subjected to racist and homophobic slurs, physically assaulted by a coworker on the job, and then fired after complaining that management failed to protect him.
The lawsuit, filed this week in Wayne County Circuit Court by Marko Law, was brought on behalf of Rashard Mason, a Black gay man who worked at The Greek/Level Two, a popular downtown Detroit restaurant and nightclub owned by Plaka Restaurant, L.L.C.
According to the complaint, Mason was subjected to a severe and unprovoked verbal and physical attack by a coworker during a July 18 shift. The harassment, which Mason alleges was based on his race and sexual orientation, was captured on video and witnessed by a supervisor.
The lawsuit alleges the coworker, Marissa Santana, repeatedly screamed racial and homophobic slurs at Mason, including the N-word, “black boy,” “faggot,” and “homo,” while also throwing her phone at him in what the lawsuit says was an act of physical aggression.
Some of the slurs were captured on video by another employee, who appeared visibly horrified while filming the outburst. The lawsuit alleges the voice on the recording is Santana, who can be heard using the N-word, complaining about having a “Black boy working here,” and calling Mason a “little bitch.”
Mason reported the incident the next day to his supervisor, identified in the lawsuit as “Mike.” In a text message quoted directly in the complaint, Mason wrote: “Last night was a lot for me. I don’t only feel violated but upset because I wasn’t defended nor protected. I was called all types of faggots & niggers.”
According to the lawsuit, the supervisor acknowledged the slurs, responding, “I threw her out because of what she was saying to you,” but then minimized the incident by telling Mason, “Don’t let it bother you.”
The complaint alleges that aside from removing Santana for the remainder of that single shift, management took no meaningful disciplinary or corrective action to address the harassment or ensure Mason’s safety at work.
About a week later, Mason learned that Santana was still employed by the company and working at The Greek, which operates in the same building and under the same ownership as Level Two, according to the lawsuit.
When Mason confronted his supervisor about Santana’s continued employment, the complaint says the supervisor attempted to dismiss the concern by claiming that The Greek and Level Two were “technically separate companies,” an explanation the lawsuit disputes, noting that Mason’s paychecks were issued by a single legal entity: “PLAKA RESTAURANT, L.L.C. DBA THE GREEK OR LEVEL TWO.”
Less than 24 hours after Mason again complained about the situation, he was fired, the lawsuit alleges.
“When terminating Plaintiff, Defendant’s management stated, ‘we are just going to part ways,’ and provided no legitimate reason for the decision,” the complaint states.
“Upon information and belief, Plaintiff was terminated in retaliation for his complaints regarding the severe racial and homophobic harassment he endured,” the lawsuit alleges.
The complaint accuses Plaka Restaurant, L.L.C. of violating Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, alleging disparate treatment based on race and sexual orientation, the creation of a hostile work environment, and unlawful retaliation.
The lawsuit seeks damages for lost wages, emotional distress, humiliation, mental anguish, and other harms, as well as attorney fees and costs.
“This case is about standing up to hate in all its forms,” Jon Marko, founder of Marko Law, said in a statement. “No one should have to endure being called racial and homophobic slurs at work—let alone be fired for speaking out about it. Michigan law is clear: discrimination and retaliation have no place in the workplace.”
The lawsuit alleges that both Mason’s race and sexual orientation “were factors that made a difference in Defendant’s treatment of Plaintiff.”
Plaka Restaurant, L.L.C. did not immediately respond to a request for comment.