Discrimination in Hiring Based on Potential and Realized Fertility: Evidence from a Large-Scale Field Experiment

37 Pages Posted: 21 May 2019

See all articles by Sascha O. Becker

Sascha O. Becker

Monash University - Department of Economics; University of Warwick

Ana Fernandes

Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH)

Doris Weichselbaumer

Johannes Kepler University Linz

Date Written: April 2019

Abstract

Due to conventional gender norms, women are more likely to be in charge of childcare than men. From an employer's perspective, in their fertile age they are also at "risk" of pregnancy. Both factors potentially affect hiring practices of firms. We conduct a large-scale correspondence test in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, sending out approx. 9,000 job applications, varying job candidate's personal characteristics such as marital status and age of children.We find evidence that, for part-time jobs, married women with older kids, who likely finished their childbearing cycle and have more projectable childcare chores than women with very young kids, are at a significant advantage vis-avis other groups of women. At the same time, married, but childless applicants, who have a higher likelihood to become pregnant, are at a disadvantage compared to single, but childless applicants to part-time jobs. Such effects are not present for full-time jobs, presumably, because by applying to these in contrast to part-time jobs, women signal that they have arranged for external childcare.

Keywords: experimental economics, discrimination, fertility

JEL Classification: C93, J16, J71

Suggested Citation

Becker, Sascha O. and Fernandes, Ana and Weichselbaumer, Doris, Discrimination in Hiring Based on Potential and Realized Fertility: Evidence from a Large-Scale Field Experiment (April 2019). IZA Discussion Paper No. 12308, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3390298 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3390298

Sascha O. Becker (Contact Author)

Monash University - Department of Economics ( email )

Wellington Road
Clayton, Victoria 3
Australia

University of Warwick ( email )

Gibbet Hill Rd.
Coventry, West Midlands CV4 8UW
United Kingdom

Ana Fernandes

Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH)

Quellgasse 21
CP 1180
Biel/Bienne, BE 2501
Switzerland

Doris Weichselbaumer

Johannes Kepler University Linz ( email )

Altenbergerstr. 69
A-4040 Linz, 4040
Austria

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