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Do employers discriminate against married women? Evidence from a field experiment in Egypt

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  • Krafft, Caroline

Abstract

This research submitted fictitious resumes to online job postings in Egypt, randomizing gender and marital status. More job postings explicitly required men (14 per cent) than women (4 per cent). Despite the gender discrimination in postings, women were only slightly less likely to receive callbacks than men, with only a small difference between single and married women. Differences in callbacks by sex and marital status were not statistically significant. Women and especially married women were, however, particularly likely to be asked for more information rather than scheduled for an interview.

Suggested Citation

  • Krafft, Caroline, 2025. "Do employers discriminate against married women? Evidence from a field experiment in Egypt," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:deveco:v:174:y:2025:i:c:s0304387825000033
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2025.103452
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Discrimination; Gender; Marital status; Labour market; Field experiment; Egypt;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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