House passes bill fighting employment discrimination against veterans

STATEHOUSE – Furthering her commitment to advocating for Hoosiers who have served their country, State Representative Karlee Macer (D-Indianapolis) played a key role in coauthoring legislation aimed at preventing employment discrimination against veterans.

The Indiana House of Representatives passed House Bill (HB) 1242 today, making it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against prospective employees based on their veteran status. This includes not hiring an applicant on the basis that they are a veteran or refusing to hire an applicant based on their membership in the National Guard.

“I was approached by an individual who brought this to my attention while I was serving on the Commission for Veterans, and I was absolutely shocked,” said Macer.

“As soon as we brought attention to the issue, everyone in the room started stepping forward with their stories of discrimination based on their service.”

Macer believes that the reason employers tend to discriminate against members of the National Guard is that they wrongfully assume the applicant will be called to active duty and will have to leave the position once they’ve been hired. She also believes that ill-placed fears regarding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are keeping employers from hiring veterans.

“I was so shocked and disappointed to realize that our heroes are being discriminated against after all they have sacrificed for our country,” said Macer. “From the very old to the very young, when we bring up this issue to veterans, they have all experienced it.”

Currently, 20 percent of veterans in Indiana are unemployed. Macer hopes this bill will help put our servicemen and women back to work and decrease the number of homeless veterans in the state.

HB 1242 now moves to the Indiana Senate for further legislative action.