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

Nekeisha Spencer, Mikhail-Ann Urquhart and Patrice Whitely

Review of Radical Political Economics, 2020, vol. 52, issue 1, 77-95

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

Keywords: discrimination; employment; social class; Jamaica; race; gender (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:reorpe:v:52:y:2020:i:1:p:77-95

DOI: 10.1177/0486613419832674

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