Those Who Need a Job Need Not Apply

Imagine desperately needing a job. Looking at ads, you come across one that fits you perfectly. You read down and see this:

 

unemployonly

 

That is the new insanity of employers. They are refusing to hire the unemployed!

NELP did a survey of online job ads ad this is what they found:

NELP conducted its review over the four-week period that commenced on March 9, 2011 and ended on April 5, 2011. A NELP researcher reviewed job postings during that period that appeared on four of the nation’s most prominent online job listing websites: CareerBuilder.com, Indeed.com, Monster.com, and Craigslist.com. The online research sought information on both employers and staffing firms that were specifically identified by name (often, job listings are posted anonymously), while also seeking a diverse sample from across the United States.

NELP’s snapshot of jobs postings identified more than 150 ads that included exclusions based on current employment status, including 125 ads that identified specific companies by name. The overwhelming majority of the offending ads required that applicants “must be currently employed.”

CareerBuilder.com and Indeed.com accounted for more than 75 percent of the exclusionary ads NELP identified. Staffing firms were prominently represented among those companies identified with the practice of excluding unemployed job seekers, accounting for about half of all the postings.

Significantly, the fact that NELP’s relatively limited research yielded such a broad cross-section of exclusionary ads—with postings for jobs throughout the United States, by small, medium and large employers, for white collar, blue collar, and service sector jobs, at virtually every skill level—suggests that the practice of excluding unemployed job seekers could be far more extensive than depicted in this limited sample.

Congress Representatives DeLauro and Johnson introduced a new bill, the The Fair Employment Opportunity Act to stop this inane practice of refusing to consider people for a job who actually need one.

In a tough job market, where workers are competing against tens and sometimes hundreds of others for every available job opening, it is unjust for employers to discriminate against those who are unemployed. We have seen ample evidence that unemployed individuals are increasingly falling prey to discriminatory practices reducing their opportunities to be considered for a job,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “The Fair Employment Opportunity Act of 2011 would prohibit employers and employment agencies from discriminating against unemployed job-seekers, and ensure that all Americans have the same opportunities for employment."

“Discrimination against the unemployed – especially the long-term unemployed – in job ads and hiring practices flies in the face of what we stand for as a nation: Equal opportunity for all,” said Rep. Johnson. “The Fair Employment Opportunity Act of 2011 will help us level the playing field and get people back to work.

Considering the insane Congressional Climate, doing the right thing like stopping this brazen discrimination against the unemployed, sounds like a long shot. That said, if you care, you should contact your representatives asking them to pass this bill.

Look, even Fox News covered this. That's how pathetic such job ads are. There are actually other types of discriminatory job ads out there, including foreign guest worker Visa holders only need apply.

 

 

Meta: 

Comments

Great post

This could be corrected in a nanosecond if Congress wanted but that won't happen. They should tack on a prohibition for running credit reports. That's humiliating to the unemployed. They're often stuck and delayed in payments. What do these idiot employers want, a "clean" candidate, somebody who hasn't struggled or been knocked down for no reason of their own. It is time for mass action against firms that do this. I'm sure there's some way to get the info. There should also be a list of companies that screwed the people and those who helped during this period of grave troubles. I'll mention one that helped, Amazon.com. They knocked down then off shipping fees, period. They've also done donw wel with pricing in many areas. Im sure there are others. Then there are the Koch industries folks who ruined Wisconsin's school system and labor unions with their bought and paid for governor. They make, among other things, Brawny paper towels. We'll track this bill, see how it comes out.

 

H.R. 2501: Fair Employment Opportunity Act of 2011

@GovTrack.us  (You can review and track the legislation here, Just introduced on the 12th)

112th Congress: 2011-2012

Go
first.

To prohibit discrimination in employment on the basis of an individual's status or history of unemployment.

Status: This bill is in the first step in the legislative process. Explanation: Introduced bills and resolutions first go to committees that deliberate, investigate, and revise them before they go to general debate. The majority of bills and resolutions never make it out of committee. [Last Updated: Jul 25, 2011 6:13AM]

DeLauro has put forth bills in the past which went nowhere

She's trying like hell to do something but like most bills trying to do something, they get buried in committee.

Even though this report was released last week, why I wanted to amplify this. As we can see from this complete "debt ceiling" as well as pretty much any bill in Congress, we simply cannot get decent legislation at all.

It's corporate lobbyist wish lists at best.

US is going down fast

Has anyone noticed?

Those who do not have jobs are unhappy. Those who have jobs are also unhappy.
For many it is a 9am - 5pm period of stress, increased blood pressure & greying hair
(see Obama).

Our society has become rotten to the core. The unholy nexus of the Government - Corporates - Media is poisoning the world.

I say let it all burn. In nature we have volcanoes that destroy vegetation & animal
life every once in a while. It is good for the ecosystem. There is a chance for something new & uncorrupted to emerge from the ashes.

Provide economic incentives for hiring the unemployed

A new law to stop the insane practice of not considering the unemployed for job openings would be great, but it needs to come with enforcement measures too. We already have laws on the books for age discrimination that are violated every day because there is no enforcement and the onus is on the peon job applicant to prove discrimination.

Since all that most businesses care about is money, the Federal government should offer economic incentives to employers to hire the unemployed. This would give the unemployed new hope, confidence, and the dignity and pride of having a job and earning a living.

When somebody is down, you don't kick sand in their face, you help them out. That's the least we should expect from our government.