Waldorf waiter told to change name from Mohammed to avoid frightening guests
May 1st, 2011 - 11:18 am ICT by ANINew York, May 1 (ANI): An Arab waiter at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria hotel named Mohamed said he was forced to change his name to prevent guests from being frightened.
Mohamed Kotbi said the first time he was asked to do so was on September 13, 2001, two days after the attacks on the Twin Towers.
Kotbi, who has worked for the hotel since December 1984, said he was given a name tag that read “John.”
“I put it on. I was in shock,” The New York Post quoted Mohamed, as saying.
.
He said the hotel management asked him to do so to stop guests being frightened by being served by someone named Mohamed.
He filed discrimination complaints with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2005 and 2009, and was eventually given a name tag with his last name, Kotbi.
However, later he was given a name tag that said, “Edgar.”
Kotbi said a manager told him that it is better to be Edgar than Mohamed these days. (ANI)
- Muslim waiter at US hotel told not to reveal name - May 01, 2011
- Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame – Who Made It To The 2011 Class And Who Didn’t? - Dec 16, 2010
- Guilty Paris Hilton avoids prison, gets 1-yr suspended sentence - Sep 21, 2010
- Bill Clinton goofs up on remark about golf hottie Annika Sorenstam - Sep 29, 2010
- Outrage over Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame commences - Oct 01, 2010
- Waldorf-Astoria Sued By Plymouth Couple Over Bedbugs - Nov 05, 2010
- Stooges, ABBA finally make it to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Mar 16, 2010
- Romanitza to make a comeback to Couture Fashion Week - Aug 23, 2010
- Paris Hilton Manages to Escape Jail Time With 1 Year Suspended Sentence - Sep 20, 2010
- Actress and singer Lena Horne dies at age 92 - May 11, 2010
- Jack Guisso to showcase last fashion collection at CFW - Aug 24, 2010
- Who wouldn't want Mauritius trip: Cherie Blair at poverty meet - Sep 24, 2010
- Oprah Winfrey to honor best friend at award show - Jan 30, 2010
- Angelina Jolie, Lady Gaga had an affair? - Feb 02, 2010
- I paid for watching Wimbledon, nothing wrong in it: Krishna - Jul 05, 2011
Tags: discrimination complaints, edgar, employment opportunity commission, equal employment opportunity, equal employment opportunity commission, hotel management, may 1, mohamed, mohammed, name tag, new york post, september 13, shock, twin towers, waiter, waldorf astoria hotel