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Cited by 58Names, Identity, and Discrimination ResearchRetirement, Disability, and EmploymentDiscrimination and Equality Law

Do state laws protecting older workers from discrimination reduce age discrimination in hiring? Evidence from a field experiment

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Neumark, David, Burn, Ian, Button, Patrick, Chehras, Nanneh·2019·The Journal of Law and Economics
DOI 10.1086/704008PMC PMC7015261
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Abstract

We conduct a resume field experiment in all U.S. states to study how state laws protecting older workers from age discrimination affect age discrimination in hiring for retail sales jobs. We relate the difference in callback rates between old and young applicants to state variation in age and disability discrimination laws. These laws could boost hiring of older applicants, although they could have the unintended consequence of deterring hiring if they increase termination costs. In our preferred estimates that are weighted to be representative of the workforce, we find evidence that there is less discrimination against older men and women in states where age discrimination law allows larger damages, and more limited evidence that there is lower discrimination against older women in states where disability discrimination law allows larger damages. Our clearest result is that these laws do not have the unintended consequence of lowering callbacks for older workers.

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Cited by

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Authors
Neumark, D., Burn, I., Button, P., & Chehras, N.
Affiliations
  • University of California, Irvine (US)
  • Stockholm University (SE)
  • Tulane University (US)
  • Amazon (United States) (US)
ORCID
Venue
The Journal of Law and Economics
Publisher
University of Chicago Press
Published
2019-05
Volume
62
Issue
2
Pages
373-402
ISSN
  • 0022-2186 (ISSN-L)
  • 1537-5285
DOI
10.1086/704008
PMC
PMC7015261
OpenAlex
W2904228819
Cited by
58
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1
FWCI
12.72
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Journal of Law and Economics (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • eYLS (Yale Law School) (submittedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders
National Institute on Aging (T32AG000244)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Names, Identity, and Discrimination Research
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Retirement, Disability, and Employment
  • Social Sciences › Law › Discrimination and Equality Law
Keywords
age discrimination, hiring discrimination, older workers, disability discrimination, damages awards, callback rates, termination costs, older women

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