Black Lowe’s Executive Lacks Bias Claim Over CEO Job, Discharge

Lowe’s Cos.’ Black former chief customer officer failed to refute the company’s explanation that he was fired because he became disengaged in his job and couldn’t convince a jury the real reason was his race, a divided Fourth Circuit ruled Tuesday.

Michael Jones said his relationship with Lowe’s and then-CEO and President Robert Niblock soured because he refused to sign off on negative feedback about his performance in a report by an outside consultant Lowe’s retained to review its executive leadership team. The job assessments by the Hay Group were manipulated to favor Niblock’s preferred candidate to succeed him as ...