Being unemployed now an impediment to gaining employment. A new way to discrminate.

In a time when Americans are facing the worst national unemployment rates since the great depression, too many employers are grinding salt in the wound of those who are job hunting.

Overburdened Human Resources departments, overwhelmed with a glut of job applications for nearly every position, available or not, are using an applicant's current unemployment standing against them.

"It's simply one more way to wade through the application morass most companies are seeing," according to headhunter and employment consultant Emily Lauter. "Personnel staff are looking for quick solutions to pare down candidates. No college degree? Cut. Not currently employed? Cut."

The logic behind it all, is that those who are unemployed must have been laid off because they were not performing as well as their co-workers. However, many people switching jobs do so to stay ahead of losing a position or due to lack of loyalty and committment to a current employer.

One Phoenix couple resigned their University of Phoenix jobs and moved to Idaho to take care of a parent with Alzheimers only to find new employment opportunities limited by their selfless behavior.

Despite the ugliness of this type of discrimination, not considering a candidate for a position simply because they are currently unemployed is not against the law.

This week CNNMoney.com's Chris Isidore wrote a full column on the issue which can be read here.