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Class Discrimination? Evidence from Jamaica: A Racially Homogeneous Labor Market

Author

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  • Nekeisha Spencer
  • Mikhail-Ann Urquhart
  • Patrice Whitely

Abstract

A common concern in audit studies of racial discrimination is that names assigned to a particular race may also proxy for socioeconomic status. We conduct a correspondence study in Jamaica, a predominantly black middle-income country, and find that these concerns may be valid. The evidence from sending out over 1,000 résumés suggests employers prefer applicants perceived to be from high-income backgrounds. While qualifications are not independently important, those with names preferred by employers have a lower chance of being selected if they have high-quality résumés. The results suggest that class discrimination may matter as much as race discrimination. JEL Classification: I31, J71, J64

Suggested Citation

  • Nekeisha Spencer & Mikhail-Ann Urquhart & Patrice Whitely, 2020. "Class Discrimination? Evidence from Jamaica: A Racially Homogeneous Labor Market," Review of Radical Political Economics, Union for Radical Political Economics, vol. 52(1), pages 77-95, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:reorpe:v:52:y:2020:i:1:p:77-95
    DOI: 10.1177/0486613419832674
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Aleem Mahabir & Romario Anderson & Robert Kinlocke & Rose-Ann Smith & Kristinia Doughorty & Chandradath Madho, 2022. "Discourse, Difference, and Divergence: Exploring Media Representations and Online Public Sentiments toward Marginalized Urban Communities in Jamaica during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-18, May.
    2. Schaerer, Michael & du Plessis, Christilene & Nguyen, My Hoang Bao & van Aert, Robbie C.M. & Tiokhin, Leo & Lakens, Daniël & Giulia Clemente, Elena & Pfeiffer, Thomas & Dreber, Anna & Johannesson, Mag, 2023. "On the trajectory of discrimination: A meta-analysis and forecasting survey capturing 44 years of field experiments on gender and hiring decisions," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search

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