The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-03-24
Editor Times:

Editor Times:
Dear Sir: Yours seems to be
about the only paper brave enough
to publish actual facts, regardless of
who is hit, and l am wondering if
you will make this letter public, so
a few business concerns, if not all of
them, may know just how a number
of their employees obtain their po-
sitions.
1t does seem that with so many
people out of work and willing to
work for almost nothing, business
firms would give thought to their
method of obtaining help and utilize
the FREE employment agencies.
With so many places available for
firms to obtain help, why do they
paLronize the employment agencies
where an enormous fee is charged?
Do they know that a clerk or say
a stenographer. making only S25
week. must pay something like
s54.17 this fee depends upon the
so per cent rate to obtain the
position? If the position only lasts
a month, she or he simply is the
loser by $5417.
The employment agencies will
tell you that the fee is fifty per
cert Cor whatever is charged by
some, thirty-three and one-third
per cent, etc., of this first months
salary. If the stenographer or
clerk is paid SIS a week, the en-
ployment agency figures it on basis
OF year-that is, flfty-two weeks in
a year and one-twelfth of that
amount is the first months salary
In most cases one has to be very
alert to cope with their high handed
methods. Every scheme known to
them, is resorted to, in order to
place someone in a position where
they may obtain a fee
l have been registered with most
of them for several months. I have
been sent out on jobs that did not
exist, but where the agency thought
that by my interviewing one OF the
executives l might be permitted to
file an application and later obtain
a position should a vacancy occur.
so that they might claim a fee.
l have been embarrassed a num-
Der of times by the way an execu-
tive has received me when applying
for the vacancy" in his Office, and I
knew the executive was telling the
truth when he said there was no
vacancy at that time Every steno-
graphic position is called "secre-
tarial by them, thus lending a
little more glamor to the position.
Some may ask why the jobless
go to these agencies. 1t is because
they have q corner on almost every
vacancy that occurs. A girl is en-
ployed in their Offices whose duty
it is to constantly phone business
firms inquiring whether or not they
have a vacancy. or telling them they
have a girl suited to their particular
line Of work who will just Eft the
place"
Most Of the firms, not knowing the
fee that some girl will have to pay.
thoughtlessly will admit there is
vacancy, whereupon one girl after
another is rushed to the place to
see who can get it. With conditions
thus existing. it is easy to see that
very few jobs have a chance to be
referred to the free agencies.
If a fee of say ten per cent or
fifteen per cent Of the first months
salary were charged, it would not
seem so bad.
While some of the older firms may
not follow this practice of obtain
ing help from the employment
agency, it won't hurt any of them
to know these conditions, as
seventy-five per cent Of the execu-
tiveS 1 have interviewed have said
they did not know such conditions
existed.
1t does seem as if the jobless poor
should be protected from the bandi-
try of EMPLOYMENT agencies,