There are certain companies that are looking for job applicants. However, there is a catch. These specific companies are asking that only individuals who are already employed apply for the specific positions within their company. And, it has definitely been causing some problems for people who are jobless and seeking employment.

The job advertisements, which can be found on a number of online websites, are leaving a fairly blunt message. They are saying that if you are not already employed, do yourself a favor and simply do not apply for the job. Do not even waste your time. And, this is offending many people, especially those who have the skills and training needed for certain positions but simply are unemployed and jobless at the current moment.

Some job advertisements require employment for eligibility as a potential candidate for the job position. This is how the companies narrow down the choice of potential candidates, which are often overflowing due to the economy which is still shaky, even after being in a recovery for about three years now.

The National Employment Law Project took part in a random search of online job advertisements and found a number of advertisements, nearly 150 different advertisements nationwide, that would exclude specific applicants if they were currently unemployed. And, the job advertisements seem to be pretty blunts, stating that the applicant must be currently employed to complete the application.

The policy co-director for the National Employment Law Project, Maurice Emsellem, “So many people are unemployed for such long periods of time that this kind of discrimination has a devastating impact.”

In Stanislaus County, the unemployment rate was at a very high 16.1 percent and during the peak of the recession, it was at 19.2 percent. The director at Alliance Worknet, Jeff Rowe, who helps people find employment in Stanislaus County, says that local advertisements do not seem to be excluding applicants based on whether or not they are employed.

Rowe says, “Most employers are going to understand that while it’s not illegal, that there’s an ethical issue about not considering people who are unemployed.” He also says, “Most employers are not going to put that in a job ad here. It would be a mistake for a business to not take a look at everyone who meets the minimum qualifications for the job.”

However, some are making an effort to make the practice of excluding applicants based on their status of employment illegal. The state of New Jersey has already passed a law that would ban employers for posting such advertisements and right now, the federal legislation is pending. The state of California is also working on prohibiting the discrimination of jobless individuals during the application process.