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Quick summary:
- Stigma of unemployed are lazy and skills are out of date.
- Many companies are shying away from hiring people who are unemployed.
- PMG Indiana, Sony Ericsson and retailers nationwide have explicitly barred employing unemployed people.
- "An employer that discriminates against the unemployed risks legal action," said Michael Blickman, partner in the labor and employment group at Ice Miller, adding he is unaware of any legal precedent.
- Another attorney disagrees and says, "The unemployed are not among the categories protected by discrimination laws."
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,585 posts, read 81,225,683 times
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It really depends on the required skills, and whether they need to be kept fresh for a particular job. Otherwise 2-3 years doesn't matter much. Would
I prefer someone doing the work now over someone who hasn't worked at all in 3 years? Probably, all else being equal. Still, I would never give that as a reason or use it as a company policy. The long term unemployed are not a protected class for discrimination suits but barring them from applying
could mean missing out on a great hire.
It really depends on the required skills, and whether they need to be kept fresh for a particular job. Otherwise 2-3 years doesn't matter much. Would
I prefer someone doing the work now over someone who hasn't worked at all in 3 years? Probably, all else being equal. Still, I would never give that as a reason or use it as a company policy. The long term unemployed are not a protected class for discrimination suits but barring them from applying
could mean missing out on a great hire.
It still comes down to supply and demand and the demand for long-term unemployed whose skills may have become "rusty" just makes it a vicious cycle
I had skills way beyond what was necessary for my last job and became very disinterested because it was not at all challenging. Previous job, same employer, utilized everything I knew, which was much appreciated by people I worked for but not by HR who had no clue about anything. I don't think my skills have at all deteriorated in the past 15 months. I really question this thinking. Specifically what skills do they think people have lost in the past two years? Borderline people possibly yes, but not the really good ones.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,585 posts, read 81,225,683 times
Reputation: 57825
Like I said it depends on the skills required. In highly technical jobs new software and hardware is developed all the time. Even office workers not
working 2-3 years means lack of skill at new versions of common products like Office. Maybe they last used 2003 and now everyone is using 2010.
Quick summary:
- Stigma of unemployed are lazy and skills are out of date.
- Many companies are shying away from hiring people who are unemployed.
- PMG Indiana, Sony Ericsson and retailers nationwide have explicitly barred employing unemployed people.
- "An employer that discriminates against the unemployed risks legal action," said Michael Blickman, partner in the labor and employment group at Ice Miller, adding he is unaware of any legal precedent.
- Another attorney disagrees and says, "The unemployed are not among the categories protected by discrimination laws."
Many of these companies need to realize the unemployed are a very diverse group of people. Sure some are sitting around eating Pop Tarts and watching Oprah but, there are others that really working their butts off trying to find another job. Some are training for new careers, taking free online classes, enrolling in workforce development training, many are seeking additional certifications, some are completing internships.
I have even heard stories about employers discriminating against underemployed folks as well. I read an a blog about a laid off social worker who took a job at a group home for two years. Now, no one will hire this person because she doesn't have enough recent social work experience.
Some of these employers are just being impossible. And people wonder why the recession never seems to end. I wonder if these employers realize that they are paying for 99 weeks in unemployment benefits and if some of these unemployed people can't find jobs, that they may even have to pay for more.
Like I said it depends on the skills required. In highly technical jobs new software and hardware is developed all the time. Even office workers not
working 2-3 years means lack of skill at new versions of common products like Office. Maybe they last used 2003 and now everyone is using 2010.
It's very easy to learn new software. If one has been very strong in earlier versions, it may take one day, at most, to pick up on the differences. It is not hard. Unless the employee is technologically challenged to begin with. I worked with a lot of those people, who were very slow, very unfamiliar with capabilities of programs. That is no excuse for those who are adept to begin with. Employers should at least test on prospective employees on programs they think are so critical the employee has to walk in the door at the top of your game.
I am not convinced. I trained people in new technology and went through many incarnations over 25 years. It is not hard for the people who are good. Poor excuse.
i applied for a job, got an interview the next day, and was hired the day after, for a job that pays more then my last one i had.
its a big advantage being employed. people see you as worthy because a company is willing to pay you.
Yes, but many of the unemployed are people who were working for companies who COULD NOT pay them. That doesn't mean the company was not willing to pay them, they just could not pay their workers. Before I got laid off, my coworkers and I were told that our paychecks may bounce.
Then, it is tough for workers in certain fields to find new employment because they may be competing with 50 people at an interview. Try finding an education, construction, manufacturing, civil engineering, architecture, or real estate job in this economy and you will feel like Jim Carrey's character in the movie, "Fun with Dick and Jane."
Like I said it depends on the skills required. In highly technical jobs new software and hardware is developed all the time. Even office workers not
working 2-3 years means lack of skill at new versions of common products like Office. Maybe they last used 2003 and now everyone is using 2010.
How does one know that the out of work administrative assistant does not have new skills? I mean she could be spending hours taking free online courses via Alison.com or free-ed.net. She could be reading books about the latest software or doing some self-study.
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