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Among the millions of currently jobless Americans, an astonishing percentage qualify as “long-term unemployed,” which means they have been out of work for more than six months. In all but 2 states and 4 cities across the country, it is perfectly legal for employers to discriminate against potential workers based solely on their employment status. With a landscape like that, say Rachel Black and Aleta Sprague, our “second-chance economy” will remain an ideal and not a reality for too many Americans.

Black and Sprague outline the concrete steps needed to truly enfranchise the long-term unemployed in “,” published yesterday on CNN.com. This is the third installment in the “Big Ideas for a �鶹������ý” series on CNN.com, in which �鶹������ý will spotlight solutions to the nation’s greatest challenges offered by experts in various areas of policy, thought, and innovation.