Black Detroit Man Sues Luxury Hotel for Allegedly Denying Job Application Based on Name

In a shocking turn of events, a Black Detroit man, Dwight Jackson, is taking legal action against a luxury hotel for allegedly denying his job application based on his race. Jackson, 27, applied for multiple positions at the Shinola Hotel in downtown Detroit, but received no callbacks despite his impressive resume filled with hotel experience.

Frustrated by the lack of response, Jackson decided to conduct a social experiment by changing his name on his resume to a “Caucasian” sounding name, John Jebrowski. To his surprise, he received a call for an interview under his new alias. Jackson attended the interview and revealed his true identity, only to be told he was no longer a viable candidate for the position.

His attorney, Jonathan Marko, highlighted the prevalence of employment discrimination, especially towards individuals with minority-sounding names. Jackson’s case is particularly egregious as he applied twice for similar positions with the same resume, but only received a response when using a different name.

Jackson is alleging that the denial of his application was based on the racial appearance of his real name, a violation of the Michigan Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act. He claims to have suffered stress, humiliation, and economic damages as a result of the discrimination.

The hotel’s operating partner responded to the allegations, stating that they do not tolerate discrimination of any kind and are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. This case sheds light on the challenges that Black individuals face in navigating the job seeking process and highlights the ongoing issue of racial discrimination in hiring practices.