Gov. Jerry Brown vetoes anti-discrimination measure for unemployed

Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a measure Wednesday that would have barred employers from discriminating against unemployed job seekers.

The bill by Assemblyman Ian Calderon (D-Whittier) would have prohibited employers, including the state government, from indicating that only people currently employed would be eligible for a job posting.

They would also have been banned from asking about an applicant’s current employment status before determining whether that person met the minimum qualifications for a job.

In his veto message, Brown said he supported the intent of the bill, but said it could end up impeding the state programs to connect unemployed workers with employers.

“The problems facing our state’s long term unemployed are great,” Brown wrote. “There is no doubt that those Californians want to get back to work and I want to help them get there -- unfortunately this bill does not provide the proper path to address this problem.”

Calderon said in a statement that he was “deeply disappointed” by the veto of his bill, AB 2271.

“Long term unemployment is a serious issue and this bill was a small step to help those suffering from long term unemployment,” he said in a statement. “I will continue to push this issue to help those chronically unemployed find a job.”

Brown also signed 25 bills Wednesday, including measures that will:

• Make it easier for the state to arrest and criminally charge uninsured, unlicensed contractors, by requiring them to state in ads that they don’t hold a license and clarifying that they can only advertise their services for projects of less than $500. Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) introduced SB 315.

• Extend the deadline for claimants and employers to appeal for unemployment benefits eligibility to an administrative law judge and to the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board to 30 days from 20. SB 1314 is by Sen. William Monning (D-Carmel).

• Allow the state Department of General Services to count non-plug-in-hybrid vehicles in its fleet toward meeting the mandate to reduce petroleum consumption for state vehicles 20% by 2020. Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) introduced SB 1265.

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