Americans deserve honesty in the job market.

Every day, millions of job seekers apply to listings that are never meant to be filled. These ghost job postings are used by companies to stockpile resumes, give a false impression of growth, or keep up appearances — all while wasting applicants’ time, energy, and hope.

This deception affects our entire economy. It inflates labor market data, manipulates hiring algorithms, and creates an unfair playing field for job seekers competing in good faith. It’s especially harmful to those struggling the most — those recently laid off through no fault of their own, underemployed, new graduates, and those re-entering the workforce.

Recent studies show that up to 40% of job ads are “ghost jobs” — listings companies post with no real intention to hire. Whether to stockpile resumes, appear as if they're growing, or just keep listings up as a placeholder, these fake jobs waste millions of job seekers’ time and energy.

A 2024 analysis by Hunter Ng found that over 1 in 5 job listings across platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed were either outdated or never intended to be filled. Investigative reports from The Guardian and The Wall Street Journal reveal that many employers knowingly leave job postings live after positions are already filled.

This practice doesn't just affect individuals — it damages the entire U.S. labor market:

• It distorts national employment data, misleading economists and policymakers.
• It contributes to job seeker burnout, especially among the unemployed, recent graduates, and low-income applicants.
• It opens the door to abuse of federal tax credits meant to support real hiring.
• It erodes trust in the hiring process and in platforms that claim to connect people to real jobs.

Major job boards like Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and Indeed have also been shown to promote ghost listings through algorithms that prioritize paid or high-traffic posts. A ProPublica study on algorithmic manipulation and hiring transparency raised serious concerns about accountability on these platforms.

That’s why we demand the immediate passage of the Ghost Job Posting Prevention Act, a new piece of legislation that would:

• Ban ghost job postings by making it illegal to advertise positions that are already filled or not actively being recruited for.
• Hold job boards accountable, including platforms like Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and Indeed, which profit from posting and promoting deceptive listings.
• Require companies to document legitimate hiring activity, such as contacting applicants and offering interviews, before posting extensions.
• Establish strict penalties and fines, including blacklisting repeat offenders from federal and public job boards.
• End discriminatory hiring incentives by eliminating unfair hiring tax credits that encourage selection based on factors other than qualifications.
• Protect workers’ dignity and time by requiring transparency in application status and communication.

We call on Congress, the FTC, and the Department of Labor to take immediate action. Pass the Ghost Job Posting Prevention Act and protect the rights of job seekers nationwide.

We, the undersigned, stand for transparency, fairness, and truth in hiring. We demand real jobs — not fake ads.