Discrimination of the Unemployed

Have you heard? "NO UNEMPLOYED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONSIDERED AT ALL." The Huffington Post reported this capitalized quote from an actual job ad. This is not an isolated case.

Time Magazine, CNNMoney, other newspapers and blogs across the country have all published stories on how some companies and recruiters are writing variations of “Unemployed Need Not Apply” in their job ads.

If someone can do the job, someone can do the job. How many of those someones are not even being considered for the opportunity because of discrimination against the unemployed?

Employment is a mutual decision between the business and the employee. Even with the greatest skills, it is more than more than likely you will be unemployed at some point in your career. If every business endorsed "Unemployed Need Not Apply," would you ever work again?

I'm asking a lot questions because I do not understand how results produced and skills possessed could possibly be less important than current employment status. This disturbing trend should not be accepted. Businesses must look to hire on skills and fit, instead of statuses.

To contribute better business practices within the hiring process visit the Zero Unemployment Movement or use the hastag, #ZeroUE.

http://www.smartrecruiters.com/static/blog/discrimination-of-the-unemployed/

http://www.smartrecruiters.com/static/zero-unemployment/

http://twitter.com/#!/search/%23zeroue

Replace "unemplyed need not apply" with a minority or gender basis and one can see this is pure discrimination. This should be illegal and I've contacted my politicians about this. In the meantime I put on my resume that I do freelance work and have a website.

You know, I've thought about this a lot. I was out of work for 18 months and it was a pretty good bet that after the first six months, being out of work that long was why I wasn't getting called. If I had it to do over again, I would have lied. Really. What is there to lose if they're not going to call you anyway because you're unemployed?

I believe in honesty, but enough is enough. Stealing is wrong too, but I wouldn't blame anyone for doing it if they were starving. I'm just surprised that more people don't. Being a have and saying "screw you" to the have nots is more wrong.

Right on JoanB. My entire life I have been honest to a fault. Now, I realize that honesty gets you nowhere. If people want to fault the unemployed for something not their fault, then I'll lie to get a job. They can't accept the fact that people are layoff due to no fault of their own, and that people stay home to care for small children, dying or agin parents etc. If that's the kind of thing I am going to be condemned for, then being a liar sounds a lot better.

I openly admit that I lie on my resume. I tell prospective employers that I do freelance work and I show them samples of work I've done. Often I try to create a program that fits with what they are looking for, then I say it's for a company. Many of these so called "jobs" are lies but I make it look like I enjoy freelancing but decided to go back to a real job.

Don't blame you one bit New Wave. Stupid people need lying to since they don't believe the truth about unemployed people.

Exactly. Lying is what I need to do and we all do. For instance I often lie about various computer skills and make them better than they are. I know Flash but am not an expert. However I tell employers I am an expert because the jobs I interview require this. I coud become an expert though if I practiced more.

What infuriates me is all the ass-hats who are one or two paychecks away from bankruptcy themselves and think that this could never happen to them. And a lot of 'em are HR and hiring managers and other idgits who think up these policies.

I totally agree with New_Wave_Princess.

If you done Contract Assignments group them all together and put from your last permanent. Present instead of the year. Like 2008-Present. Who is to say they received an old resume of yours when you were working. I have many resumes out there. Chances are they will never call your last agency you worked for.

Many ask are currently working, then say you finished up at the beginning of the month or previous month. Never let a 3 month gap show.

I am having a phone interview tomorrow and want recent experience in a tough economy. Screw them, did I suddenly forget all that I know?

We should all be supporting Rep. Hank Johnson [D] GA in his effort to make HR 1113 law. This bill will add discrimination of the unemployed to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This bill, also, has been stuck in the Ways & Means Committee since March. I really don't know why, it doesn't have any
"costs" associated with it. More information on it here.

H.R. 1113 - The Fair Employment Act of 2011
Sponsor: Representative Henry Johnson [D-GA]
Co-Sponsors: 16
Referred to the House Ways & Means Committee on Education and the Workforce March 16, 2011


H.R. 1113 - To amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of unemployment status.

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/bills/?billnum=H.R.1113&congress=112&size=full

I support that bill, but the reality is it likely won't pass. The Republicans and many Democrats don't see there is a problem.

What about mom that take off work to stay home with tiny or sick kids, or sick parents etc. Or here's one, as a military spouse, we were transferred often. Of course, the husband's job went with him, but I also had to quit mine and my work record suffered. How's that for supporting our military families that that history is now held against me??? We were overseas, I couldn't work etc.

americatheneedy wrote:What about mom that take off work to stay home with tiny or sick kids, or sick parents etc. Or here's one, as a military spouse, we were transferred often. Of course, the husband's job went with him, but I also had to quit mine and my work record suffered. How's that for supporting our military families that that history is now held against me??? We were overseas, I couldn't work etc.

As far as time off for sick kids and sick parents, it is covered by FMLA. Working parents are also allowed a certain amount of hours per year time off for teacher conferences and other education related meetings for their child, under Federal law.

Because many politicians don't care about the military, which stinks. Many people only care about them when they are doing the dirty work, but not other times. I have a brother in the army (he's a doctor)and I believe the military should be respected. Incidentally, I served in the navy until I got medically discharged.

This is insane! I cannot believe companies are discriminating against the unemployed. Although, I do recall seeing an ad in 2009 that specifically said, "If you have been unemployed longer than three months, please do NOT apply." This was on Craig's List, so I thought, "Well, it's probably some rinky dink company that nobody wants to work at anyway."

Didn't realize that many companies were doing this discrimination. How are people supposed to get their lives back?

Some of you mentioned lying. Go for it. I know a lady who decided to put down a friend's company as her current job for the last few years on her resume because she was getting 0 interviews with the other resume that showed she had not worked in three years. Well, she started getting calls and landed a job that is paying VERY well.

It's a shame that these hiring managers and H/R people do not or will not get a clue.

I was unemployed for two years and bounced right back when I started working again. I didn't forget how to operate a computer or how to use Excel. And the company I work at has Office 2007 which I had zip experience in, but guess what employers? I've been using MS Office since 1995......it ain't hard to learn the new version.

A lot of people that lost their jobs were doing the same job for years, I seriously doubt they forgot how. Its ridiculous.

By the way, welcome to the forum flexi!!

TR11005 wrote:I totally agree with New_Wave_Princess.

If you done Contract Assignments group them all together and put from your last permanent. Present instead of the year. Like 2008-Present. Who is to say they received an old resume of yours when you were working. I have many resumes out there. Chances are they will never call your last agency you worked for.

Totally agree!! And good put, I've worked for various agencys since 2009 and now am updating my resume to lump them all together. Just explain it in an interview if it comes up.