Dear John: The biggest challenge facing our economy today is the lack of real employment opportunities for long-term unemployed [people].
There are millions of quality people who are on the sidelines, just trying to get a break, working part time or in minimum-wage positions, or operating as consultants and independent contractors.
We’ve reached the absolute crisis stage when all the financial stimulus and attitude change in the world are going to arrive too late to fix the mess.
Just ask any human resources representative why they won’t hire an out-of-work individual.
You’ll hear some implausible, irrational and simply remarkable answers, including denial, along with the general nonsense (overqualified, not a good fit, away from the business too long and so many others).
You will also inevitably reach the conclusion that they’re just full of it.
This much is also certain: There will be a cornucopia of crap for you to discuss in your excellent column for many years to come. R.M.
Dear R.M.: You and I had a cup of coffee a few years back and discussed this very issue. And we have exchanged lots of e-mails.
There’s no question in this for me to answer. But I wanted to let you appeal to everyone who is in a position to hire. Everyone — whether he or she has been out of work for a lengthy period, just got laid off yesterday or will crawl off a campus next month looking for a first job — deserves to be given an equal chance.
In fact, if you are someone in a position to hire and it’s proven you are discriminating against older people or the long-term unemployed, you will eventually be reckoned with.
So just ask yourself: When you eventually get fired for discriminatory hiring practices, who’s going to hire you?
R.M., best of luck. I hope things break your way soon.