Female students and students in remote areas are at a disadvantage in the current employment slump because they receive employment information from companies later than others, according to a meeting of school faculties Monday.

The meeting, held to discuss student recruitment issues, pointed out that female students this year are getting employment information later than their male counterparts.

The firms also put priority on male students in their invitations to recruiting sessions, they said. "Female students are forced to struggle (more) to get jobs. So we plan to demand that businesses abide by the Equal Employment Opportunity Law and give a fair chance to female students," said Tamotsu Sato, president of Ochanomizu Women's University and head of the conference.

Participants also pointed out that the nation's current unemployment situation and last year's abolishment of recruitment accords spurred students to expedite their job hunt by two or three weeks. This year, students began their searches in late April and mid-May, compared with last June.

Firms also made their hiring decisions earlier this year, and their unofficial offers peaked in mid-May, compared with mid-June the previous year. Participants at the meeting plan to carry out a recruitment survey on the nation's universities, colleges and trade schools later this month. They will utilize the results in July in talks with companies on improving employment.