CHANCES ARE GOOD you know someone who has been unemployed during the recession of the past few years. Or maybe you’ve been out of the workforce yourself? Finding a job in this economy is hard enough without adding additional barriers for job seekers who aren’t currently employed. But that’s what some employers and recruiters were doing!
Until February when our state legislature passed The Fair Employment Opportunity Act, that is. This common-sense bill that Family Forward Oregon supported in Salem – along with The Urban League – makes it unlawful practice in Oregon for an employer to include a provision in a job posting stating that the unemployed will not be considered — which is exactly some employers and recruiters were doing!
At a time when the competition for employment is extraordinarily intense – with nearly five unemployed job seekers for each opening – actively discriminating against the unemployed by advertising that they need not even apply works against those who are out of the workforce because of a sluggish economy and discriminates against those who’ve been out of the workforce for other reasons: like raising a child or caring for another family member.
The Urban League and Family Forward Oregon partnered to support this victory for Oregonians who want to work! We don’t think people who are not currently in the workforce should be shut out of certain jobs simply because they’re not currently employed. Discriminating actions like that just aren’t the way to get unemployed Oregonians working again.
Check out a clip on KATU about the Fair Employment Opportunity Act (aired 2/20/12):
And another from 60 Minutes (aired 2/19/12):
