Puzzling veto of protection for unemployed job-seekers

Gov. Jerry Brown’s veto of a bill banning job discrimination against the unemployed wasn’t one of the most momentous actions he took during the recent legislative session. But it might be one of the hardest to explain. The union-backed measure, AB676 by Assemblyman Ian Calderon, D-Whittier, would have prohibited employers from advertising any job as being available only to someone who is currently employed. It also would have barred employers from asking applicants about their current employment status, at least until they determined whether an applicant met the minimum qualifications for the job. The reason for the bill, Calderon said, was that employers often look unfavorably on the long-term unemployed. His