A state was suffering from a near-depression caused by layof…
A state was suffering from a near-depression caused by layoffs in the tourist service industry. In an attempt to alleviate the problem, the state enacted a statute providing for the immediate hiring of 100,000 employees to repair, maintain, and otherwise work at the discretion of the state director of highways. The statute further stated that preference would be given to persons who had worked in the tourist service industry for five years and had been laid off. Which of the following constitutional provisions would be most relevant in determining the constitutionality of the preference for tourist service industry workers?