NEW YORK—Racial and re-
ligious discrimination by private
employment agencies is "shock-
ingly widespread" despite state
laws forbidding bias against job
applicants on grounds of creed
or color, the American Jewish
Congress charged, disclosing the
findings of a survey of 385 em-
ployment agencies in six major
cities across the country.
More than 90 per cent of all
the agencies covered in the sur-
vey-351 out of 385—agreed to
fill telephone requests for a
"white Protestant stenographer"
although prohibited from doing
so by state law, the Jewish
group reported. -
The survey covered private
commercial employment agen-
cies in Los Angeles, San Fran-
cisco, Chicago, Boston, Detroit
and Philadelphia. The findings,
which ranged from a low of 89.5
per cent in Los Angeles to a
high of 97.1 per cent in Phila-
delphia, confirmed the results
of previous surveys by the
American Jewish Congress
among New York City employ-
ment agencies, according to
Ephraim London, chairman of
the Commission on Law and
Social Action of the American
Jewish Congress. The Commis-
sion carried out surveys in New
York City every three years
from 1946 to 1958 and in the six
cities outside New York during
February of this year.
London said the data con-
tained in the survey had been
submitted to the various com-
missions administering fair
employment laws in' the states
covered. "We are gratified
that these commissions are
making renewed efforts to
curb these abuses," he de-
clared. He revealed that fol-
lowing the Detroit survey, the
Michigan Fair Employment
Practices Commission called a
meeting of local employment
agencies and worked out a
non-discrimination agreement
covering order-taking, classi-
fication, referral proceedings
and employer contacts.
-
Under the survey procedure
followed, the caller—without re-
vealing his or her identity—
would ask whether the job
agency could provide a "white
Protestant stenographer." The
order was repeated to avoid any
confusion or misunderstanding,
and the agency's response was
recorded in detail immediately
after the call was completed. In
each of the six cities covered,
telephone calls were made to
every employment agency listed
in the local classified telephone
directory except those whose
listing showed that they did not
supply stenographers.
The 1946 survey showed
that 88.4 per cent of the agen-
cies that gave usable responses
were prepared to accept the
discriminatory order. In sub-
sequent surveys, the figures
were 1949 — 64.2 per cent;
1952-65.1 per cent; 1955-
70.3 per cent; and 1958-72.2
per cent.
In the 1963 survey of six ma-
jor cities outside New York,
the figures were considerably
higher, the American Jewish
Congress reported.
In California, which has had a
state fair employment law since
1959, usable responses were re-
ceived from 124 of 166 job agen-
cies contacted in Los Angeles
and 48 of 66 agencies called in
San Francisco. Of the Los An-
geles job agencies, 89.5 per cent
said they would attempt to fill
the discriminatory order. Nine-
teen of the employment agencies
replying affirmatively to the re-
quest made clear that they were
aware it violated the law. In San
Francisco, 91.7 per cent of the
agencies agreed to fill the job
request.
In Chicago, where a state anti r
Attorney General
Calls Attention to
Anti-Jewish Bias
group that American Jews also
face discrimination.
GEORGE
OHRENSTEIN
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio, (JTA)
—Attorney General Robert F.
Kennedy drew attention to the
per cent—replied affirmatively fact that anti-Jewish descrimina-
to the request for a "white tion still exists in the United
Certified Master Watchmaker
Protestant stenographer."
States and must be combatted.
and Jeweler
London cited the example
Addressing a meeting of Slo-
of a Detroit employment vak Americans of the Roman
18963 Livernois Ave.
agency that explained, "Our Catholic faith, Kennedy said
UN 1-8184
code for white is 'IS.' " One
that Negroes were not the only
OPEN THURS. TO 9 P.M.
Los Angeles agency said: "We
victims of bias. He told the
cannot write 'white Protes-
tant' on the request form. We
would have to say, 'all-Ameri-
Strictly
can girl.' "
Kosher
London said that the less than
Meats and
10 per cent of employment
Poultry
agencies that refused the dis-
IT'S BAR-B-Q TIME AGAIN!
criminatory request generally
offered explanations of the pro-
visions of the law. Several firms
seemed indignant at being asked
• Hamburger Patties
• Lamb Ribs
to discriminate, he noted, quot-
ing a San Francisco agency
• Beef Ribs
• Fillets
whose representative replied:
• Rib Steaks
"No, I couldn't discriminate.
Firms are not supposed to have
• Tender Cartwheels
prejudice against anyone. It is
•
Tenderloin Chip Steak
against the law. Don't you know
that?"
•_Cube Steak
discrimination law has been in
effect since 1961, usable re-
sponses were received from 95
of 122 agencies contacted. Of
these, 90.5 per cent agreed to
meet the discriminatory order.
The Massachusetts fair em-
ployment law has been in ef-
fect since 1946. Despite this, the
American Jewish Congress re-
ported, 91.9 per cent of the
Boston employment agencies
that gave usable responses said
they would honor the request.
Thirty-seven of the 43 agencies
contacted gave usable responses
to the survey.
In Detroit, 53 agencies were
called and 46 gave usable re-
sponses. Of these, 91.3 per
cent said they would fill the
discriminatory request. Michi-
gan has had an anti-discrimi-
nation law covering employ-
ment since 1955.
An even higher percentage of
Philadelphia employment agen-
cies agreed to fill the illegal
job request, the survey noted.
Israel is studying the build-
Of the 73 agencies contacted, 35 ing on an atomic energy plant,
gave usable replies. Of these, with chances for building it in
all but one—arhounting to 97.1 the Negev.
KAPLAN BROS.
Try Our Own Ready Made .. .
18229 WYOMING
WE DELIVER — UN 1-4770
Member Detroit Kosher
Meat Dealers Association
•
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put to work at American Savings are guaranteed safe from value fluctuations
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3 -- THE DETR OIT JEWI SH NEWS — Friday, July 19, 1963
Survey Shows 'Widespread' Discrimination
by Employment Agencies in 6-City Study;
Mich. FEPC Drafts Non-Bias Agreement