DISCRIMINATION IN BLACK EMPLOYMENT [2013]: A REALITY DESPITE EDUCATIONAL GAINS

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

Source: Department of Labor website http://data.bls.gov/ extracted 1/10/13

National White

Black

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

14.0%

7.8%6.9%

14%

(16 years and over)December 2012

African- Americans have the highest unemployment rate of any ethnic group in America.

Source: The Daily Caller, May 16, 2011

Unemployment Rates (Males Only) (Black/White%Comparison Study Month-October)

October Black White Disparity2002 9.7 4.8 4.92003 10.4 4.9 5.52004 10.2 4.2 62005 8.4 3.8 4.62006 8.2 3.4 4.82007 8.2 3.8 4.42008 12.1 5.7 6.42009 17.4 9.7 7.72010 16.4 8.7 7.72011 16 7.8 8.22012 14.1 6.6 7.5

Source: Department of Labor (Seasonal) – 20 Years & Over Unemployment Rates Table A-2. Employment status of the civilian population by race, sex, and age

“BLACK UNEMPLOYMENT TWICE THE RATE OF WHITES FOR PAST 60 YEARS; RACISM IS LIKELY CAUSE.”

Retrieved from http://racismdaily.com

“The African American jobless rate is about twice that of whites, a disparity that has barely budged since the government began tracking the data in 1972.”

Fletcher, M. (2012, December 12). Black jobless rate is twice that of whites. The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com.

“Discrimination has long been seen as the primary reason for this disparity, which is evident among workers from engineers to laborers.”

Black & White Unemployment Under President Obama

(In Percent 20 Yrs. & Older)Comparison Month: October

2009 2010 2011 2012

Black 17.4 16.4 16 14.1

White 9.7 8.7 7.8 6.6

13579

1113151719

BlackWhite

Source: Department of Labor. Data retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/data/

“The average unemployment rate in 2011 was for Blacks,7.9% for Whites, and 11.5% for Hispanics.”

Dept. of Labor. (2012). The African-American Labor In The Recovery (pg. 2). Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov 

“Historically, Blacks have had persistently higher unemployment rates than the other major racial and ethnic groups.”

15.8%

Unemployment Rate for Blacks, Hispanics & Whites(Seasonally Adjusted Bureau of Labor Data, January 2007-January 2012)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey-Chart I. Chart retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/data/

http://www.bls.gov/data/

DISCRIMINATION IN HIRING: TWO CASE EXAMPLES

Black male employee, passed over for three (3) jobs. When applying for one job employee received PERFECT SCORE, “at which point agency cancelled the vacancy announcement .”Jury found retaliation was a motivating factor in denying promotions to Black employee.

Porter v Natsios

Retrieved from caselaw.findlaw.com Case-414 F. 3d 13

Black male employee scored highest of five applicants at 97 points. Agency gave the job to white employee who was a part of a three way tie for last place with 70 points.

Jarvis v Astrue

Case No. 1:05-cv-02950-CCB

“Study ShowsBlacks Have A Harder Time Getting A Job Than White Ex-Convicts.”

Retrieved from http://www.ny1.com/

“BEING BLACK IN AMERICA TODAY IS

JUST ABOUT THE SAME AS HAVING A FELONY CONVICTION IN TERMS OF ONE’S CHANCES OF FINDING A JOB.”Pager, D. (2008, August 9). Study: Black man and white felon-same chances for hire.

Anderson Cooper 360. Retrieved from http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/

“Whites with a felony conviction fared just as well, if not better, than a black applicant with a clean background.”

Pager, D. (2008, August 9). Study: Black man and white felon-same chances for hire. Anderson Cooper 360. Retrieved from http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/

(Grogan, et. al. vs. Holder1-08-cv-01747-1)

According to the government, the overall youth unemployment rate is 12%. But for younger black voters, a critical Obama support block, the rate is a staggering 21.4%. And for Hispanic youth voters it is 13.4%.Bedard, P. (2012, November 2). Youth unemployment rate. The Washington Examiner. Retrieved from http://washingtonexaminer.com/.

African-American youth wait in

long lines for jobs. Picture taken by C4C Founder-April 6, 2012. (Washington DC)

“In the past decade, the number of black workers with a college degree has

increased by over a quarter, compared to a fifth among White workers.”

Dept. of Labor. (2012). The African-American Labor In The Recovery (pg. 1). Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov 

MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD. (2009) MSPB FAIR AND EQUITABLE TREATMENT, P 60.

In the Federal sector

“Minorities have lower pay grade even after controlling for education, experience and other advancement related factors.”

RACIAL GAP IN UNEMPLOYMENT DEFIES EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT. Unemployment Rate for Blacks & Whites aged 25+ Educational Attainment, 2011 Annual Average

Source: Department of Labor: The African American Labor Force In the Recovery, Chart 3, ( pg. 4)

Dept. of Labor. (2012). The African-American Labor In The Recovery (pg. 1). Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov 

D e p a r t m e n t o f L a b o r . ( 2 0 1 2 ) - T H E A F R I C A N - A M E R I C A N L A B O R F O R C E I N T H E R E C O V E R Y , p g . 4

In 2011, African Americans with at least a bachelor’s degree had a 7.1% jobless rate, while the white rate was 3.9%.

“African-American unemployment rates are higher than those for Whites at every education level”.

THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS EXPERIENCING A GREAT RECESSION.

"And all of the growth in the past 30 years, we see it slipping away.”

Rep. Frederica Wilson

R e t r i e v e d f r o m h t t p : / / w w w . r e a l c l e a r p o l i t i c s

Reverend Jesse Jackson

“Our nation’s largest employer, the federal government, fails to address systemic discrimination and retaliation.

The Coalition For Change, Inc. (C4C)

It also fails to create targeted initiatives to effectively address disparities in Black employment which it has done for other populations.”

Over 150 “RACE”(Black)-based employment class actions were filed against federal agencies (e.g. Agriculture, Social Security Administration, Commerce, Marshal Service) over the last ten years.

Source: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Freedom of Information response to The Coalition For Change, Inc. C4C

“Despite high Black unemployment the federal sector uses civilian labor force employment statistics as a recruitment “benchmark” for hiring. Hence, many qualified Blacks that have been historically shut out of private sector jobs are shut out of public sector jobs.”

Reference: Office of Personnel-Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program Report, 2011