10-28-2025
For job candidates actively seeking new roles, there is nothing scarier than ghost jobs - posted positions that appear legitimate but do not really exist. Candidates apply and never hear back, resulting in wasted time, false hope, and an erosion of trust in the entire job-hunting process. Ghost jobs can also lead to financial loss, as job seekers begin to feel desperation and become particularly vulnerable to scams. These experiences can lead to additional mental distress for candidates, adding to the already pressure-filled nature of job searching.
Remote.co, a firm that provides a remote-work job board, issued a report on the realities of current job searches. They asked 3,000+ workers to answer questions about their job search experience. Twenty-seven percent of respondents said they have been the victims of job scams, with 12% being scammed more than once. Fifty percent reported being ghosted by employers. Fast Company estimated that phony job posts make up about 40% of job listings. Companies engage in this practice to collect and store resumes for a future need, or to signal a false growth trajectory to investors.
Advocacy groups, like Truth in Job Ads are proposing federal legislation to clamp down on this predatory practice. The Truth in Job Advertising and Accountability Act (TJAAA) sets out to “eliminate fraudulent job advertisements, increase transparency in hiring practices, safeguard applicant privacy, and hold employers and job platforms accountable.” The bill’s language references the Commerce Clause, which grants authority to regulate commerce “to protect applicants from economic harm, preserve data privacy, and ensure market integrity while fully respecting constitutional rights.”
The TJAAA, if enacted, would prohibit false or misleading information and ban advertising positions for which there are no intentions or funds to fill. It would also prohibit posting a job more than 90 days in advance of the intended hire date, or perpetual postings – those with no specific hiring plans. Employers would also be required to ensure a job application can be accessed without demanding login and must maintain an exhaustive list of mediums on which the job posting appears. Some exemptions exist in the proposed legislation for small businesses, for example.
Employers should follow the progress of the TJAAA legislation. Regardless of the outcome of The Act, employers should consider reviewing and implementing the respectful practices outlined in the bill to maintain applicant trust and public transparency, while preventing instances of fraud.