Black Man Sues Hotel After Being Denied A Job Interview Until He Changed His Name On Resume

Dwight Jackson, a Black man in Detroit , has filed a lawsuit against a hotel that allegedly refused to hire him after seeing his name on the resume he sent them.

According to CNN , Jackson said Shinola Hotel didn’t offer him a job interview until he resent his resume using a new name: John Jebrowski.

From January to April, Jackson, who is 27 years old, applied to multiple positions at the Shinola Hotel in Detroit, the lawsuit states. Jackson’s attorney Jon Marko shared copies of the plaintiff’s resume with CNN, showing his vast experience as a luxury hotel employee.

“Mr. Jackson had applied for a job that he was eminently qualified for,” Marko told CNN.

When his applications were rejected, Jackson tried a different approach. According to the lawsuit, he applied “twice for similar positions under a more readily apparent Caucasian name, with the alias ‘John Jebrowski.’” It’s important to note that Jackson’s work experience details remained the same. But under the John Jebrowski alias, Jackson received multiple interviews less than a week later.

“Jackson established that the Defendant’s consideration of candidates was based on the racial appearance of the applicant’s name,” the lawsuit states.

After being called in for an in-person interview with the Shinola Hotel, Jackson confronted the person, saying how the hotel discriminated against him based upon his name.

“Shortly after Jackson underwent the interview process, he was informed that he was no longer a viable candidate for the position,” per the lawsuit.

Anna Stancioff, a spokesperson for the Shinola Hotel, responded to Jackson’s allegations in a statement to CNN: “We take this allegation very seriously and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone has the opportunity to succeed and are dedicated to building a diverse workforce that reflects the community.”

Marko said Jackson is determined to shine a light on this form of racial discrimination, pointing out that what his client experienced is “not just isolated at the Shinola Hotel, not just isolated in Detroit or Michigan, but across the country.”

He added that Jackson “wants to make sure that it doesn’t happen to anyone else.”