The District of Columbia has enacted a first-of-its-kind law protecting jobless individuals from discrimination in the hiring process, effective starting June 1, 2012. The new law prohibits employers and employment agencies from discriminating against potential employees based on their status as unemployed, and it is the first in the United States to both prohibit employers from considering the employment status of potential employees and provide whistleblower protections for current employees who report employer violations. However, the law does not give aggrieved individuals a private right of action to enforce the law, civil penalties are available and may be assessed against noncompliant employers by the D.C. Office of Human Rights. So far, similar legislation in Maryland has met significant resistance. See http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-03-18/business/bs-bz-ambrose-unemployed-20120318_1_employers-policy-co-director-worst-job-markets. We can only hope that Maryland soon offers some protection to those who can’t get jobs simply because they are unemployed and without any examination of their qualifications.
