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Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Screening Out Unemployed Job Seekers? You May Be Breaking the Law

As reports of employers screening out unemployed job hunters have grown, the EEOC is studying whether these practices constitute illegal discrimination.

Screening Out Unemployed Job Seekers? You May Be Breaking the Law

2 comments:

Mike C. said...

I was wondering when someone was going to make this argument. When unemployment is so strongly correlated with a protected class (your article mentions race, but the disabled are also unemployed in much larger numbers), it only makes sense.

Amazing how far a little data can go, isn't it? More folks should read up on what the BLS has to offer!

Another Evil HR Director said...

I certainly think using unemployed as a screening criterium is short-sighted. I know of no employer in my area who does, or would, do so. Too many people are unemployed for too many reasons. Without digging deeper through an interview or at least a preliminary phone call, is not doing your due-diligence in hiring. If the person's education and prior experience meet your needs, at least on paper, that person's current employment status shouldn't dictate whether you even consider them further.