Black Man Sues Hotel for Discrimination After Changing Name on Resume to “John Jebrowski” Lands Him a Job Interview

A black man has filed an employment discrimination lawsuit against a Michigan hotel, claiming that the hotel only offered him a job interview after he changed the name on his resume to a more traditionally white-sounding name.

Dwight Jackson, a 27-year-old with experience in the hospitality industry, applied for multiple positions at the Shinola Hotel in Detroit between January and April 2024. Despite his qualifications, which included roles at luxury hotels like Detroit’s Marriott Westin Book Cadillac and David Whitney Hotel, Jackson received no response when he applied under his real name.

Feeling suspicious, Jackson re-applied in April 2024 using the alias “John Jebrowski” with nearly identical resumes. This time, he was offered multiple interviews within the same week. According to the lawsuit, the resumes had different dates of previous employment but were otherwise the same.

“To be denied a job in 2024 in your hometown, for the color of your skin, goes beyond dollars and cents. It goes into the psyche of a person,” Jackson’s attorney, Jon Marko told CNN.

Sage Hospitality Group, Shinola Hotel’s operating partner, responded to the allegations through their spokesperson, Anna Stancioff. “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,” Stancioff stated.

Marko noted that Jackson’s case stands out due to the clear evidence of name bias. A recent study by the National Bureau of Economic Research supports this, showing that resumes with Black-sounding names received fewer callbacks compared to those with white-sounding names. Proving such bias, however, is often challenging, and many cases do not progress due to a lack of evidence.