A state legislature passed a law requiring all employers ope…
A state legislature passed a law requiring all employers operating in the state’s oil and natural gas fields to give preference in hiring to residents of that state. The bill banned the hiring of nonresidents unless no other qualified person could be found to fill an oilfield or natural gas field position. Under prevailing economic conditions, which included a substantial decline in petroleum prices, the statute was tantamount to a total ban on hiring of nonresidents because there were so many unemployed oil and gas workers and little new exploration was taking place.The plaintiff was an experienced oilfield worker who was denied a job in the state because his permanent residence was in another state, even though he had worked in many states and foreign countries and his qualifications were better than anyone else applying for the job. The sole reason given for not hiring the plaintiff was the preferential hiring statute favoring state residents. The plaintiff filed suit in federal district court challenging the statute.Who should prevail?