Assembly passes bill to combat interview ‘ghosting’  

The state Assembly passed a bill Wednesday aimed at stemming the trend of “ghosting” during the job interview process.  

The bill seeks to create a process for employers to report instances of job candidates who fail to show up for interviews or job offers, as well as former employees who are not available to return to work.   

According to a statement from state Rep. Jon Plumer, during the same pandemic period in which Gov. Tony Evers shut down the state and work searches increased due to closures and layoffs, the practice of “ghosting,” wherein a prospective employee does not reply to an employer or attend a scheduled interview or job, increased. The consequence is a waste of a business’ time and resources and fuel for the struggle to find capable workers.   

If enacted, the bill would permit the merit of claims by employers regarding instances of “ghosting” to be investigated by the state Department of Workforce Development. If reports are found credible, the individuals implicated would be ineligible for unemployment benefits for the given week, although the bill does not impose a penalty for the first verified claim.