Thu. February 24, 2011
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which enforces U.S. laws prohibiting employment discrimination, is investigating recent claims of employers discriminating against the jobless. The commission held a public meeting last week in which it heard testimony from various employment advocacy groups who say some employers are posting want ads with a disclaimer to unemployed applicants.
The message “Unemployed Need Not Apply” is a growing trend in the labor market amongst employers looking to fill their payrolls with “experienced” workers. The assumption, said Executive Director of the National Employment Law Project (NELP) Christine Owens when testifying before the EEOC, is that unemployed workers’ skills are outdated