Why HR Needs to Stop Passing Over the Long-Term Unemployed
HR are screening out the long-term unemployed, there is concern that the long-term unemployed at being discriminated. 
The revelation last year that many job requirements for open positions mandated that candidates already be employed seemed a bit like a joke, but the evidence that employers screened out unemployed applicants was so widespread that the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission began investigating it.
HR discrimination against the long-term unemployed
A couple of interesting studies examined the extent of discrimination against the unemployed. These studies are unusual in that they involved real efforts to find real jobs. One created 3,000 pretend candidates and sent their resumes to a random sample of job openings. They varied one item among otherwise identical applications: whether the individual was currently unemployed and, if so, how long they had been unemployed. Only about 4.5% got callbacks, which suggests that the typical unemployed applicant has to apply to a little more than 20 jobs to just get a positive response from an employer indicating that they are still being considered for the job.
HR and long-term unemployed
There is a really big reluctance to hire those who have been unemployed for a while. It’s so big that it trumps the concern about having the relevant skills, which news reports constantly suggest is the big challenge employers face.
The way to get hiring of the long-term unemployed started is to recognize that there is no objective case in this economy for not considering a candidate who has been out of work for a while.
It’s the right thing to do in terms of our social impact, it’s the right thing to do to make our organization inclusive and looking like our society, and it’s also the financially sensible thing to do.
Cause of long-term unemployment will be discussed at an upcoming conference
Long-Term Unemployment Conference 2014
A national forum focusing on at risk groups for Long-Term Unemployment Mature Age | Youth | Indigenous | Disability | Regional 18-19 August 2014, QT Hotel Surfers Paradise URL: www.longtermunemployment.org.au Ph: (61 7) 5502 2068