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Discrimination Against Jews in Employment Reported in Cincinnati

August 26, 1958
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
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Discrimination against Jews seeking employment in firms owned by non-Jews is “a widespread problem” in this area, according to a report submitted here to a state commission investigating the status of civil rights in Ohio.

The evidence of discrimination was submitted to Gov. O’Neill’s Advisory Commission on Civil Rights by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Cincinnati. The Governor’s commission sat here to discuss questions involving employment of minority groups in the area. The commission was set up last April to study the status of civil rights in Ohio. It has made employment discrimination its first order of business.

Testimony submitted by the Jewish group noted that religious discrimination in employment is often practiced subtly, sometimes taking the forms of hiring Jews within only certain departments of a firm, as well as denial of equal promotional opportunities.

It was noted that the reluctance of aggrieved job applicants to lodge formal complaints has tended to obscure the extent of discrimination. Information was also cited which indicated that the presence of Fair Employment Practice laws tends to substantially decrease the frequency with which job applicants are questioned about their religious affiliation.

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