Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/150053 
Authors: 
Year of Publication: 
2017
Series/Report no.: 
GLO Discussion Paper No. 2
Publisher: 
Global Labor Organization (GLO), Maastricht
Abstract: 
We investigate risk aversion as a driver of labour market discrimination against homosexual men. We show that more hiring discrimination by more risk-averse employers is consistent with taste-based and statistical discrimination. To test this hypothesis we conduct a scenario experiment in which experimental employers make a hiring decision concerning a heterosexual or homosexual job candidate. In addition, participants are surveyed on their risk aversion and other characteristics that might correlate with this risk aversion. Analysis of the (post-)experimental data confirms our hypothesis. The probability of a beneficial hiring decision for homosexual candidates decreases by 31.7% when employers are a standard deviation more risk-averse.
Subjects: 
Hiring discrimination
statistical discrimination
sexual orientation
scenario experiment
risk aversion
JEL: 
C91
J15
J71
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.