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Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Teleworking Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States: A Mediation Analysis

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  • Abay Asfaw

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Washington, DC 20201, USA)

Abstract

A growing literature has pointed out disparities in teleworking among different racial and ethnic (hereafter racial) workers. This study estimated racial disparities in teleworking due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the extent to which these disparities were mediated by four-year college education and occupation in the United States. The data source for this study was the Current Population Survey, May 2020 through July 2021. The results showed that in the reduced model, the odds for Black and Hispanic workers to telework were 35% and 55% lower, respectively, and for Asian workers 44% higher than for White workers, controlling for covariates. When four-year college education and occupation were included as mediator variables in the model, the odds for Black and Hispanic workers to telework were reduced to 7% and 16%, respectively. Overall, disparities in four-year college education and occupation explained 83% and 78% of the variation in the odds of teleworking for Black and Hispanic workers, respectively. Between the mediators, occupation explained more than 60% of the total effect. The results of this study could not rule out the possibility of racial discrimination in teleworking. Ultimately, reducing racial disparities in four-year college education and in different occupations might be a long-term solution for reducing racial disparities in teleworking.

Suggested Citation

  • Abay Asfaw, 2022. "Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Teleworking Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States: A Mediation Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-18, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:8:p:4680-:d:792716
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Md Rabiul Islam & Jean-Daniel M. Saphores, 2025. "WILL COVID-19 jump-start telecommuting? Evidence from California," Transportation, Springer, vol. 52(1), pages 349-380, February.
    2. Sara McLafferty & Valerie Preston, 2023. "Geographies of Frontline Workers: Gender, Race, and Commuting in New York City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-17, February.
    3. Asmussen, Katherine E. & Mondal, Aupal & Batur, Irfan & Dirks, Abbie & Pendyala, Ram M. & Bhat, Chandra R., 2024. "An investigation of individual-level telework arrangements in the COVID-era," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    4. Astorquiza-Bustos, Bilver Adrian & Quintero-Peña, Jose Wilmar, 2023. "Who can work from home? A remote working index for an emerging economy," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(10).

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