Rep. Hank Johnson's Fair Employment Project

This year, I have introduced two bills to stop discrimination against the unemployed in hiring practices.

The Hank Johnson Fair Employment Project is seeking constituents' feedback on their job searches, whether they feel like they were passed over for a job because they were unemployed, and serve as a way to share job-searching and interviewing tips for people still looking for work.

Your job search or unemployment experiences will also help me fight for legislation ending this kind of discrimination. If you’ve been out of work for six months or more any time during the Great Recession that began back in 2007, I want to hear your story. 

Seeing the long lines and speaking with several job seekers at my recent Job Fair held at Atlanta Technical College on Aug. 18 highlighted the fact that the unemployment rate is still too stubbornly high – especially in Georgia and the Fourth District.

Of the nearly 14 million Americans who are officially jobless, more than 6 million have been out of work for more than six months.

Last year when I saw a nationwide trend of Help Wanted ads saying: “Unemployed need not apply,” I decided to act.

I sent a letter to The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, who then held hearings on this despicable practice. What they discovered is that this kind of discrimination is an "emerging issue" that disproportionately affects older workers, minorities and veterans.

So in March, I introduced the Fair Employment Act of 2011 and this summer with Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), the Fair Employment Opportunity Act of 2011 (FEOA): which would prohibit employers from discriminating against unemployed job seekers by refusing to consider them for job openings. It would make it illegal for employers to include any job postings that unemployed persons will not be considered or hired.

With unemployment nationwide at about 9 percent – 17% and higher for African-Americans and upward of 12% for Hispanics – and with about 14 million Americans out of work, this kind of discrimination will only prolong the crisis.

I'm also proud to say that this legislation is part of President Obama's American Jobs Act as well.

But statistics and facts and figures can only go so far to help me understand the struggles of the long-term unemployed. If you’ve been out of work for six-months or more any time during the Great Recession that began back in 2007, I want to hear your story.

Part of the survey will show how other long-term unemployed workers found a job -- I want to share those tips with everyone. Also, I want to share your stories with my colleagues in Washington to help keep the focus on jobs. Please take some time and fill out the questionnaire below. 

I look forward to hearing from you!

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