Congressmen Raja Krishnamoorthi and John James Introduce The Bipartisan Opportunity To Compete Act To Prevent Discrimination Against Qualified Workers Without Bachelor’s Degrees
WASHINGTON – Last night, Congressmen Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08) and John James (R-MI-10) introduced the bipartisan Opportunity to Compete Act to ensure that workers who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) rather than a bachelor's degree receive fair consideration in hiring. While automation and other technical advances in hiring have made application screening easier for employers, they have also contributed significantly to the trend of requiring degrees for jobs that previously did not require them. According to a2021 study, more than 90% of employers reported using a Recruitment Management System (RMS) to automate the screening of job applicants, and nearly half reported using education level as a filter. Yet, approximately 90% of employers agreed that qualified candidates are excluded from consideration because their resumes do not match the exact criteria of the RMS. This results in qualified workers being locked out of good jobs, and it pressures Americans to take on significant debt for degrees they may not need. The Opportunity to Compete Act would ensure that job applicants who do not possess a bachelor’s degree are not preemptively rejected on this basis by computerized hiring systems without due consideration of alternative qualifications. The bill achieves this by requiring employers who use automated degree requirement settings in hiring systems to disclose the expected years of experience for the job and allow applicants to substitute years of experience in lieu of a four-year degree. Roughly two-thirds of Americans do not have a bachelor’s degree, yet they may have acquired valuable skills through various means such as community college, apprenticeships, military service, and on-the-job training. It is critical that we embrace skills-based hiring practices which reflect a diversity of experiences and talents as we adapt to the ever-changing demands of a modern economy.
“As American workers and employers seek to meet the rapidly changing needs of the 21st century, it is imperative that we eliminate discrimination against workers who meet every qualification for the jobs for which they are applying except for having a bachelor’s degree,” said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. “The Opportunity to Compete Act will address this issue by ensuring prospective employees are evaluated based on whether they have the relevant skills and experience to do the job rather than whether they have a four-year degree.”
“As a businessman who used to run a manufacturing and logistics company, I know firsthand how much our nation depends on a smart and skilled workforce to keep our country running,” said Congressman John James. “Career knowledge gained through technical education, apprenticeships, and military service is valid experience that deserves to be recognized with the same weight as college degrees. The ‘Opportunity to Compete Act’ would ensure that Americans with nontraditional training experience can apply for jobs on a level playing field. Folks who worked in technical fields built this country, and as a member of the Education and Workforce Committee, I’m proud to do everything I can to support the next generation of talent.”
“This legislation is a first step towards ensuring that all working Americans can access good jobs, regardless of where they have gained their skills,” said Blair Corcoran de Castillo, Sr Director of Policy, Opportunity@Work. “This is especially important for the 70+ million workers in this country who are skilled through alternative routes (STARs). STARs bring valuable skills to our economy from experience in community college, apprenticeships, bootcamps, and most commonly, through skills gained on-the-job, instead of through a bachelor’s degree. It is time we recognize STARs and the valuable skills they bring to the labor market.”
The text of the bill is available here.