Wiltshire | Archive | 2005 | August | 31
From the archive, first published Wednesday 31st Aug 2005.
EMPLOYERS are refusing to consider hiring people with previous drug or alcohol problems.
A survey by the Chartered Institute Of Personnel And Development said firms were also refusing to consider people with a criminal record.
The organisation said its study showed how difficult it will be for the Government to move people from the "core jobless" group into work.
A survey of 750 employers found almost two-thirds were deliberately excluding people with certain characteristics when they were recruiting.
It found firms are more likely to consider migrant workers, lone parents or the over-50s than anyone with a criminal record or a history of long-term sickness or homelessness.
Well over half of those questioned said nothing would persuade them to take on someone from the core jobless group, often saying they had a bad previous experience.
John Philpott, the chief economist at the CIPD, said: "Widespread reluctance on the part of employers to recruit the core jobless highlights the magnitude of the task facing the Government as it strives to get more economically inactive benefit claimants, especially those claiming Incapacity Benefit, off welfare and into work.
"As a result, the Government will have to reinvigorate its welfare to work agenda by making greater efforts to both improve the employability of the core jobless groups and by addressing negative employer attitudes to people who are in these groups."
Paul Archer, the head of employment law at Lemon and Co solicitors in Swindon, said: "Even in Swindon, with low levels of unemployment, it is difficult for groups of jobseekers to find work, especially those with a criminal record, drug or alcohol problems, housing problems or long-term health issues.
"In our experience, those jobseekers in Swindon who advise prospective employers that they have ever suffered from a mental illness or a repetitive strain injury are highly likely to face rejection."
Mr Archer said employment law only provides limited help because there is no general equal opportunities law making employers follow a fair recruitment procedure.
The specific discrimination legislation on sex, race, disability, sexuality and religion/belief does not help individual job seekers who face disadvantage because of a criminal record, drug or alcohol problems or housing problems.
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