Racial and Ethnic Discrimination in the Labor Market for Child Care Teachers

Abstract

This article examines racial and ethnic discrimination in the child care teacher hiring process. We construct a unique data set that combines a résumé audit study of center-based providers with a follow-up survey of those in the original audit sample. Fictitious résumés were randomly assigned White-, Black-, and Hispanic-sounding names and submitted in response to real teacher job advertisements. The survey was then administered to capture the characteristics of children, teachers, and administrators within the center. These data reveal three key results. First, we find robust evidence of discrimination: Black and Hispanic applicants receive significantly fewer interview requests than observationally equivalent Whites. Second, our results are consistent with a model of customer discrimination: The racial and ethnic composition of the center’s customer base is correlated with the characteristics of job seekers receiving an interview. Finally, we show that states’ child care regulations mitigate the racial and ethnic gap in interview requests.

The COVID-19 crisis and telework: a research survey on experiences, expectations and hopes

“…Although these findings might equally relate to a selection problem, in the sense that a selective subset of persons with a migration background might have selected themselves for our sample, we put forward two potential explanations why employees with a migration background might fare better than others on these aspects. A first explanation is based on discrimination research that shows that, in jobs where interaction with colleagues and customers is prominent, ethnic minorities are more likely to be discriminated against in the selection process [68][69][70][71][72][73]. Under the assumption that telework, by definition, reduces physical, personal interaction [34], the negative effects of the perceived discrimination may be reduced.…”

The Covid-19 Crisis and Telework: A Research Survey on Experiences, Expectations and Hopes

“…Although this finding might equally relate to a selection problem, in the sense that a selective subset of persons with a migration background might have selected themselves for our sample, we put forward two potential reasons why employees with a migration background might fare better than others on these aspects. A first explanation is based on discrimination research that shows that jobs where interaction with colleagues and customers is prominent, ethnic minorities are more likely to be discriminated against in the selection process (Baert, Cockx, Gheyle, & Van Damme, 2015;Bodvarsson & Partridge, 2001;Boyd-Swan & Herbst, 2019;Combes, Decreuse, Laouénan, & Trannoy, 2016;Laouénan, 2017;McGinnity & Lunn, 2011). Under the assumption that teleworking, by definition, reduces physical, personal interaction (Kirk & Belovics, 2006), the negative effects of the perceived discrimination may be reduced.…”

Sociodemographics and chronic stress in mother–toddler dyads living in poverty

“…For example, Black families are more likely to experience poverty (Fass et al., 2009). This is in part due to policies that have limited access to wealth or have stolen wealth from Black families across time, leading to lower overall intergenerational family wealth (Alexander, 2010; Boyd‐Swan & Herbst, 2019; Hamilton & Logan, 2020; Schaeffer, 2020) and marginalizing Black children from opportunities.…”