NYC First In The US } You Can Not be Asked if You Have a Job at Interview
Today, the New York City Council was the first in the nation to pass a law that prohibits employers from considering an applicant’s current employment status while making their hiring decisions.
Job advertisers have long filtered applicants according to their present employment status, selecting only those persons who are currently employed. Now, New York will be the first city in the country providing people with the opportunity to file a lawsuit based on unemployment discrimination such as this.
“Imagine spending every day and night for months upon months upon months looking for a job–only to be told ‘don’t even bother … unemployed need not apply,’” said Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who supported the bill. “We cannot–and will not–allow New Yorkers who are qualified and ready to work have the door of opportunity slammed in their faces.”
The Council cited that 51 percent of unemployed New Yorkers have been job-hunting for over six months, but many job listings require candidates to already be employed.
The bill still specifies that “an employer can consider whether an applicant has a current or valid professional license; a certificate, permit or other credential; or a minimum level of education or training,” but Mayor Michael Bloomberg has made a vow to veto the bill, according to Metro.
Hizzoner called the bill “one of the most misguided pieces of legislation” and claimed it would “damage lots of small businesses” to Capital New York.
Whatever side of the argument you’re on, the city has an unemployment rate of 8.8 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and that’s a lot of people who need all the help they can get.
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