Dive Brief:
- USA Today reports that the Army is now accepting recruits with a history of bipolar disorder, depression, self-mutilation and drug and alcohol abuse. The report, based on documents the paper obtained, says the new policy was enacted in August as the Army attempts to add 80,000 new troops by September 2018.
- To meet last year’s goal of 69,000 recruits, the Army loosened its requirements on aptitude tests, increased waivers for past marijuana use and offered hundreds of millions of dollars in bonuses, according to USA Today.
- The Army, however, refuted the report, saying that it has only changed its waiver process.
Dive Insight:
USA Today's report seems to mirror the challenges being faced by private sector employers: as unemployment rates go down, the competition for skilled applicants becomes more difficult.
Similar to the reported Army shift, many private companies are rethinking their qualification requirements and administrative processes to meet demand.
Moreover, like the Army is reportedly doing, other employers are considering untapped talent pools, like veterans, former employees and individuals with disabilities.