Dwight Jackson, a 27-year-old Black man, has filed a lawsuit against the Shinola Hotel in Detroit, Michigan, after he found changing his name on a resume led to a job interview.
According to Detroit News, the lawsuit alleges that Jackson was initially denied a job interview due to his real name but was subsequently offered an interview after changing his name on his resume to “John Jebrowski.”
This act led Jackson to take legal action, claiming that the hotel’s hiring practices violated the Michigan Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act.
“John Jebrowski”
Jackson, a professional with a strong background in the hospitality industry, applied to several positions at the Shinola Hotel between January and April 2024.
Despite his qualifications, which included previous roles at Detroit’s Marriott Westin Book Cadillac and David Whitney Hotel, he received no responses to his applications under his real name.
It wasn’t until he applied using a name traditionally associated with a white man that he was invited for interviews.The situation escalated when Jackson attended an interview at the Shinola Hotel under his alias.
During the interview, he revealed his true identity and confronted the interviewer about the discriminatory practices he had encountered.
Following this revelation, he was informed that he was no longer considered a viable candidate for the position.
The Legal Battle: Seeking Justice and Equality
Name-based discrimination has been a common issue for the Black community as a recent study found that large US employers are 9.5% more likely to contact candidates with names that suggested they were white in comparison to Black.
Jackson, represented by civil rights attorney Jon Marko, is determined to bring attention to the systemic issues that many Black professionals face.
The lawsuit, filed on July 3, contends that Jackson’s case provides clear evidence of discriminatory practices based on the racial connotations of an applicant’s name.
“We take this allegation very seriously and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind,” said Shinola Hotel’s operating partner, Sage Hospitality Group, according to CNN.
“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.”
Feature Image Credit: CNN
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