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The jobless rate. It’s the topic of unwavering discussion these days, especially as it relates to the disproportionately high numbers of African Americans who continue to struggle to find work. But there’s one easy way the government can help reduce the jobless rate–especially for African-Americans: Put an end to the practice of employers discriminating against unemployed job-seekers.

For more than a year, employers nationwide have been blatantly discriminating against the jobless – roughly 14 million Americans – by refusing to consider hiring people who are currently not working, or who have been unemployed for longer than six months or so.

According to numerous reports, if you’re out of a job, you’re out of luck with a growing number of employers whose job postings specify that applicants “must be currently employed” and that the “unemployed need not apply.”
This issue has huge implications for African Americans–considering the 15% unemployment rate in the Black community far exceeds the national unemployment rate of 8.8%.  Continue reading this article on Black Enterprise.

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Finding a job is hard enough these days, as evidenced by the stubbornly high unemployment rate in the U.S., which ticked up to 9% in April 2011, according to the Labor Department.

As if massive downsizing, intense competition for jobs and outsourcing weren’t enough, American workers must also contend with misguided hiring practices that are prevalent in virtually every industry in the country.

Following are three unfair and inappropriate hiring practices that discriminate against millions of would-be employees, contribute to higher levels of chronic unemployment, and pose potential threats to job-hunters’ financial security. All three of these misguided hiring practices should be illegal.

1. Discriminating Against the Unemployed

For well over a year, many employers nationwide have been posting job advertisements declaring that the “unemployed need not apply” and that job-seekers “must be currently employed.” Other employers have indicated they’ll only hire those who’ve been unemployed for fewer than six months.

Any requirement that job candidates already be employed unfairly locks out the country’s 14 million unemployed individuals who may be looking for work. Read the rest of Lynnette’s article on WalletPop.

Former prisoners trying to land jobs and get other services face an uphill battle. Many employers shy away from hiring someone with a felony conviction. And lots of people are leery of lending a helping hand to those who have served time behind bars.

But if you’re willing to give an ex-offender a second shot, the government is willing to throw a sizeable chunk of money your way.

Right now, the Department of Labor has $11.7 million earmarked for non-profit agencies that step up and agree to aid former inmates seeking to transition back into mainstream society.

The money is being granted via the Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration.

In a nutshell, the Department of Labor wants to help the 600,000 inmates released annually from prisons and jails to successfully reintegrate into society. But the problem is securing jobs and other much-needed services for these ex inmates.

So the government is providing 10 grants of $1.17 million each to non-profit faith-based and community-based organizations that are assisting ex-offenders returning to high poverty and high crime communities.

Grants are available to organizations that can aid ex-prisoners in any of the following areas:

-       Career counseling and job placement
-       Work opportunities/work experience
-       Substance abuse assistance
-       Mental health treatment
-       Educational services
-       Vocational training
-       Mentoring and case management
-       Housing assistance

The grants are designed to last for a 27-month period.

The deadline to apply for these funds is: March 17, 2011 at 4 pm Eastern Time. No late applications will be considered. So if your group or an organization you know qualifies for this grant, by all means apply as soon as possible.

Your efforts could help change a life – and possibly aid an entire community in the process.

Even if your organization doesn’t qualify for this grant, if you know someone who has a felony conviction, share with them these tips for ex-prisoners seeking employment.

Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach is a personal finance expert. Follow Lynnette on Twitter @themoneycoach

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There are an estimated 15.1 million people unemployed at the moment. So no, it doesn’t exactly make us want to burst out singing “The Star Spangled Banner” when we hear that Congress has tied the fate of unemployment checks to that of extending tax cuts to the rich. We know what the jobless really want isn’t 99 weeks of $300 benefits checks. They want jobs. And until they get them, the new normal is one big smack-down. But coping with continued and seemingly ever-lasting unemployment is no fun, especially around the holidays.

This article was written by Ann Brenoff for WalletPop
Read the rest of this article on WalletPop

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