All public employment offices of the United States Employment Service in New York State were instructed yesterday by the office of the regional director of the Social Security Board, not to make placements for any employer who “refuses to employ otherwise qualified applicants solely because of race, color, creed, national origin or descent.”
In a memorandum sent to all administrative employees, as part of a campaign against racial and religious discrimination in the filling of jobs, the office of the S.S.B. said it would be the official policy of the agency to “stimulate the fullest utilization of the labor supply” by encouraging employers to eliminate from their job orders any specifications not associated with ability to perform the job.
If employers insist in discriminatory specifications, the memorandum said, a report on that fact will be made to the President’s Committee on Fair Employment Practices. Service will be withheld entirely by the Employment Service from employers making discriminatory specifications, unless such a request is specifically made by the Army or Navy, it warned.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
