Lawmakers rally for support of anti-jobless bias bill

The Daily Record Newswire Several lawmakers, joined by representatives from the National Employment Law Project and USAction, rallied last week to garner support for a bill that would make it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of unemployment. Reps. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., and Hank Johnson, D-Ga., and Sen Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., urged their colleagues to pass the Fair Employment Opportunity Act. The measure would prohibit employers from refusing to consider or hire a job applicant because of the individual's status as unemployed. It would also bar employers from advertising any job indicating that an applicant's unemployment status would be a disqualifier, or directing or requesting that an employment agency take an individual's status as unemployed into account in considering, screening or referring applicants for employment. President Barack Obama has expressed support for the bill, and included a similar provision in his proposal to boost jobs. Johnson said he was hopeful the measure could garnish bipartisan support. "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 Johnson. "This important legislation will explicitly prohibit employers from discriminatory hiring and ensure basic fairness in filling job openings," said Blumenthal. Published: Thu, Oct 6, 2011