A recent analysis of multiple studies across 25 years indicates what some Black and Latino people in Pennsylvania might already know: Job opportunities can be hard to find for minorities. Researchers from multiple universities reviewed 28 studies dating as far back as 1989. Studies about callbacks from job applications consistently produced a bias in favored of white people. Black job applicants heard back from potential employers at a rate 36 percent lower than white applicants. Latinos fared a little better with a callback rate only 24 percent lower than whites.
These figures emerged from data received from 55,842 applications to 26,326 jobs. The researchers accounted for variations in the studies in regards to gender, labor market conditions, job types, study method and education. Although education might enable some people to get better jobs, blacks and Latinos with higher education still faced obstacles to building personal wealth. Minorities tended to need school loans more often than whites, which left them with debts. Blacks with college educations assisted their families with money more often than whites, who remain more likely to receive financial support from their parents.
The researchers concluded that the apparent discrimination at the point of hire contributed to long-term limitations. People facing a lower percentage of calls for job interviews very likely have fewer job offers. This discrimination potentially undermines their ability to negotiate better salaries.
This evidence of widespread hiring discrimination suggests that workplace discrimination in regards to pay, promotions and fair treatment could be a common occurrence. Someone who experiences unfair treatment at work or harassment because of legally protected attributes, such as race, gender, disability, religion or age, could discuss the possibility of a lawsuit with an attorney. A lawyer could cite the laws that the employer violated and prepare court filings to pursue a settlement for damages.
