Over 4,000 Americans Petition Congress to Address 'Ghost Jobs' Crisis Through New Legislation
Thousands of Americans are rallying behind the Truth in Job Advertising Act as congressional engagement grows to combat deceptive hiring practices that waste millions of applicant hours annually.
More than 4,000 Americans have signed a petition supporting the Truth in Job Advertising and Accountability Act, signaling growing public demand for transparency in employment postings. The citizen-driven initiative aims to address the proliferation of "ghost jobs"—positions advertised with no actual intent to hire—that have become increasingly common in today's job market.
The TJAAA Working Group has accelerated its congressional outreach, meeting recently with staff from Senator James Lankford's office and Representatives including Nikema Williams, Eugene Vindman, Brad Sherman, Terri Sewell, Pablo José Hernández, Beth Van Duyne, Troy Downing, Monica De La Cruz, Henry Cuellar, and Tim Burchett. These discussions build on earlier conversations with Senator Ruben Gallego, Senator Jack Reed, and Representatives Debbie Dingell, Troy Carter, Gwen Moore, Maxwell Frost, Roger Williams, Alma Adams, and Keith Self.
"Every signature represents someone who was ghosted, misled, or ignored in their job search," said Eric K. Thompson, founder of the TJAAA Working Group. "Congress is starting to listen—not because of lobbyists, but because thousands of ordinary Americans are standing together to demand truth in hiring."
The proposed legislation would implement common-sense measures to ensure job postings reflect genuine openings, prevent misuse of applicant data, and hold employers accountable for transparency throughout the hiring process. Supporters argue that deceptive job listings not only mislead applicants but also artificially inflate job-market statistics while wasting millions of hours of unpaid applicant labor each year.
The growing movement highlights a critical issue affecting workers across the economic spectrum. As job seekers invest significant time and effort into applications for positions that may not exist, the psychological and financial toll compounds. The petition, hosted at https://change.org/StopGhostJobs, continues to gain momentum as workers, job seekers, and business leaders unite in calling for reform. Additional legislative resources are available at https://www.truthinjobads.org.
The bipartisan nature of the congressional engagement reflects the widespread recognition that ghost jobs represent a systemic problem requiring legislative solutions. As the petition signatures continue to accumulate, the pressure mounts for Congress to take concrete action against hiring practices that undermine both job seekers' trust and accurate labor market reporting.