The American Jewish Congress announced today establishment of a special bureau to receive complaints on discrimination against Jews seeking employment. It will be conducted as part of the activities of the Commission on Economic Problems, headed by Rabbi J.X. Cohen.
The bureau, arising from a recent study of job discrimination made by Rabbi Cohen, will survey the extent and causes of economic discrimination in New York and seek through negotiations to bring about a change in attitude among employers. The establishment of the bureau was necessitated, the announcement said, by an increase in discrimination and the failure to deal with the problem in organized and responsible fashion until now.
Rabbi Cohen’s survey found many public utilities, banks, insurance companies, employers and employment agencies discriminating against Jews to the point where the Jews have become “marginal workers” — to be considered for jobs only when the demand for workers exceeds the supply. He named several organizations and firms in his pamphlet.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
